


The Worth of a Man

by englishrose2011



Series: The Gambler and the Renegade [1]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Adult Content, Attempted rape off screen, Explicit Sexual Content, Ezra Standish/OMC - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Rape Recovery, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-30
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-06 20:50:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 48,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1872018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ezra Standish meets Julian Parker over a game of cards which becomes something more personal when they end up in bed together. Only later does Julian's true personality come out.<br/>When Vin Tanner arrives in town, for Deputy Buck Wilmington life starts to get complicated as events begin to spin out of control.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my beta reader Antoinette for your help and MAC for your support.

Purgatory

Ezra Standish was a professional gambler, the red coat and black Mississippi river boat gambler style hat he wore were visual badges of his trade. Purgatory was a hell hole and the only reason he was currently seated in a rat and flea infested excuse for a saloon in a town that was a cesspool was Craig Goodwin, the man owed him money.  Goodwin was a poor excuse for a gambler and an even poorer excuse for a gunman, he owed him $250 but had skipped town, be it one step in front of an angry mob but that was no excuse. He had still run out on his debt and Ezra had followed him down to Purgatory to collect one way or other.

As always Ezra was sat with his cards they flicked between his fingers as he cut and produced aces and kings on command, it was then a shadow was cast over him, he looked up and the breath seemed to catch in his throat, as he found himself looking up into a man’s face, even with its somber cast it couldn’t hide that he was a fine looking man.

“Can I interest you in a game Mister?” Ezra left the question hanging in the air.

The man in black didn’t answer but Ezra’s expert eyes had taken in the gun and the way it was worn, and knew he was looking at a gun man and an above average one.

“Pray take a seat Sir, a game of cards is a good way of getting acquainted, and breaking the ice between strangers,” Ezra flashed him one of his gold tooth smiles, but the gunman didn’t return it, his expression never changed, as he took a seat.

But instead of sitting opposite him the gun man sat down at his side, making Ezra change his position.  Ezra tried not to show how uncomfortable he was now in his new position with his back partly exposed to the men in the room.  The gun man placed a bottle of whiskey in front of himself and his back to the wall. The flat brimmed hat he wore was slanted down shading his eyes, it was when he reached for the bottle and splashed a half tot of whiskey into it that he pushed the hat back so it hung on his back by the stampede strap, that Ezra saw the green eyes, cold and emotionless and the blond hair worn longer than most, a hank of it dropped over one eye. The blond man brushed it back and then tipped the glass and drained it, and pulled out a cheroot taking one of the matches from the container on the table and struck it on the table top. Once he had it going to his satisfaction he spoke, the accent put him from around Indiana way, “Lost aren’t you gambler,” Larabee nodded at the run down saloon.  

“No I am always where I want to be mister?” Ezra left the question hanging in the air between them as for the second time he tried to draw the gun man’s name from him.

“Larabee, Chris Larabee,” the twist of the lips was nowhere near a smile, it reminded Ezra of a predator eyeing a particular sweet morsel and it sent a pleasant shudder through his body.

Another man approached the table, only to halt unsure as Larabee turned to look at him; the man muttered a quick apology and hurried away.

“You seem to have a very interesting effect on people Mr. Larabee?”

The infamous gun man lips twitched again, and he reached for the pack of cards, Ezra watched as Larabee cut the card shuffling them and dealing left handed.

“Impressive Mr. Larabee.”

“It was learning to deal left handed or stop playing, like my cards too much to do that.”

Ezra looked at his cards, and threw a dollar into the pot, the clunk of a second coin showed that Larabee was matching the bid, the amount in the pot raised slowly, the silence between them stretched, and Ezra could feel the tension building it was as if the air between them was charged like with a summer storm. Ezra found himself concentrating on Larabee’s hand the way the long tapered fingers tapped the cards into place, he could imagine the feel of those strong hands on his body, the…..  Ezra pulled himself back to the present, he could just imagine if he acted on those feelings of attraction he would dead a heart beat later. If the rumors he heard were true, Larabee had been married and his all black clothing marked that he was still in deepest mourning for his dead family. A family man wouldn’t want to share the favors of a gambler.

Larabee called and Ezra laid his hand down, the gun man gave an annoyed grunt and threw in his cards, and leaned back in his chair, and took another drink of whiskey as Ezra began to collect the cards together for his deal. It was then he saw Larabee’s attention was attracted to the door of the saloon, Ezra turned to follow the gun man’s gaze, and but all he saw was the swing doors.   Larabee drained his drink and then got to his feet, pulled his hat back on and then collected his money pocketing it and then left the saloon taking his whiskey with him, without another word to Ezra, only then did the noise level in the saloon slowly rise back to normal. Ezra sat looking after him, and allowed himself to admire the lean body of the gunman, the cool somber gunman was a vision that he would carry to his bed tonight. With a soft sigh he turned back to the table and smiled flashing his gold tooth as others now came to join his table, some to play poker other interested more in learning about Larabee. That night when Ezra went to bed his dreams were filled with the  lean hard body and blond hair of Chris Larabee. 

0-0-0-0-0

Two weeks later

Morgan

Upstairs in the Black Dog Saloon

Julian Parker was a rich man’s son, his father owned a bank, and had a monopoly on the stores of his home town, his land holdings had been brought from the local small farmers and ranchers where the possible rail way line was coming through. Maybe not this year or the next or any time soon but one day, and it were an investment that his father’s hoarded like a miser with his gold.

Gus Parker had plans for his son, and it amused Julian that his father was willing to buy his co-operation. Parker senior turned a blind eye to his un-natural cravings and even covered them up, in return for Julian marrying Maggie Fisher, the local cattle baron’s daughter, and getting her with child and joining together their dynasties. Julian had delayed the wedding for as long as possible, liking more the status of an engaged man, as it cloaked him with respectability, if a story ever did filter through, it would be dismissed with the words he’s a respectable engaged man.

For that reason on business for his father he felt that he could indulge his needs and the gambler in the saloon had been too perfect to refuse. The trim firm body, the tight pants showing off the curve of that perfect ass, and that southern accent that rolled over him like molasses and made his cock twitch just listening to it. A few hands of poker and money passed between them, and the conversation showed the gambler to have a razor sharp mind and a dry sense of humor, the word games they had played had established what he needed to know this young gambler wanted to fuck just as much as he did.

Julian had made a show of leaving the saloon, but had immediately doubled back, and taken the back stairs up to the bedrooms above the bar. He saw the gambler what was his name Ezra, Edward, Ezra, that was it Ezra, standing by the door. As he passed down the hall he could hear the thumping of headboards, the grunts and cries as the saloon girls serviced their customers. There was a bounce to his stride as he walked, the blood was singing in his veins, as his body thrummed with hard to suppress excitement, he watched his vision in a red coat, push the door open and allow him to slip inside the bedroom, before following them in and locking the door behind them.

The room was hot, and Julian felt the sweat begin to bead his face, and his breath came a little faster. Ezra was his entertainment for the night, and good memories to take home with him when the business trip was over, this dark haired flashing eyes gambler was just what he needed and he was determined to have him.

He closed the distance between them and caught the gambler’s gun belt and pulled him close. In two strides he had Ezra or was it Edward, it didn’t really matter which, he had him pressed up against the wall his knee pressed up between the gambler’s legs, rubbing up against him, feeling the gambler harden, as he heard the low groan come from the beautiful mouth, as he felt the gambler’s hands ghosting over his body, in a need to touch and be touched.

Julian couldn’t wait any longer and began to strip him, pushing Ezra onto the bed and then followed him down, pinning the trim body against the mattress, reveling in the feel of Ezra’s naked body grinding against him, laid out for his pleasure.  His hands stroking Ezra’s flanks and down to his hips, as he teased him with small bites to his collar bone, and then his tongue licking down to circle and target the gambler’s brown  nipples that hardened for him as if begging for his attention. Julian gnawed on them, Ezra moaned his body bucking at the sharp stinging pain, then Julian was swirling his tongue over them, soothing them, as his hand stroked lower over the gambler’s hard stomach, he trailed finger nails down using just enough pressure to mark the smooth skin, and then his hand moved lower, tugging at the dark curls that framed Ezra’s cock.  He did it hard enough for Ezra to cry out, and then calmed that sweet mouth in a long ravishing kiss, that stole the gambler’s breath away. Pain and pleasure Julian considered himself a master of the subtle balance of the two that brought his partner to the edge of coming but denied him the release. It was an art form that brought the best out of them, giving them a frantic need to please him, in return for the mind shattering relief they would get when he finally let them come. More and more he wanted to hear that proud independent gambler beg him, beg him to let him come, beg him to fill his tight ass with his cock.

It was then that Ezra resisted him, and pushed up against his chest, Julian rolled onto his side, propping his head on one hand Julian watched as Ezra padded naked to his saddle bags, bending to undo one. Julian admired the view he got of Ezra’s firm tight ass, his mouth going dry as he imagined all the things he wanted to do to it.   

Ezra pulled a small tin of grease from his saddle bag and drop it against the pillow,   Julian’s hand grabbed Ezra and pulling him down onto the bed, the younger gambler hit the bed on his back his legs splaying open, it was all the invite that Julian wanted his hands pushing the gambler’s thighs future apart so that he could nestle between them.

There had been no discussion as far as Julian was concerned he didn’t have to ask to top the gambler, he just took it as his right, he set to work now to make Ezra forget everything but his need to have Julian buried deep inside of him. Julian whispered “Now where did we get up too, I know,”

His hand snaked down to torment Ezra’s body, Julian didn’t bother to undress, the feel of that naked body rubbing against him, being  clothed when his partner was naked pinned under him, gave Julian a surge of power, a feeling of total domination over the gambler.   His father might dominate him at home, but here in the bedroom he was the dominate one, he called the shot, he could bend the gambler to his will. He chucked as he felt Ezra writhe under him, it seemed he was not the only one turned on by the feeling of cloth against flesh, the gambler throw his head back and groan it was such as earthy sound that it made Julian feel as if his whole body was on fire, and the only way it could be extinguished it was by burying himself deep inside of Ezra.

Leaning in he whispered softly to Ezra, his warm breath against Ezra’s ear,  all the time working his body, keeping him balance on that exquisite edge, the gambler dug his fingers in the grease and reached down and prepared himself, as Julian’s continued his sweet assault on his nipples,  his hands and mouth making Ezra groan with need. 

 

Julian suddenly caught Ezra’s wrist pulling his fingers out with a soft pop from his hole, and then he flipped the gambler onto his belly, caught him round the hips and pulled him up into a kneel position, that firm ass his for the taking.  Julian didn’t hesitated he entered him hard and fast, the breath was knocked from Ezra’s lungs, as he pushed into him, somehow Julian found the control to hold himself still so that Ezra could  get used to being filled and let  pain become pleasure.  Only then did Julian began to move and soon the two men were lost in the sensation of coupling, their word constricted until it was reduced to the feel of cloth rubbing against naked flesh,   a hard cock plundering a willing body, the sound of panting and moaning, the squeak of bed springs and the thump of the head board against the wall.  Julian threw back his head and roared as he came flooding the gambler’s bowels with his cum, as he thrust in as deep and as hard as he could. Slumping down Julian’s weight pushed Ezra down onto the bed, pinning him in place, “God you’re good” breathlessly Julian whispered into Ezra’s ear as he pressed  kiss at the back of the gambler’s  neck he pulled out, ignoring the soft cry of pain from Ezra as he slipped free of the tight hot clinging channel.

“That was something” Julian continued reaching out and traced a finger down Ezra’s face, totally captivated by the handsome flushed face, and this very special man that shared his bed, his body so responsive to his every touch,  even that other gambler hasn’t been this good . Ezra’s tongue flicked out across the pad of his finger, something so small but coupled with the smoldering look in the green eyes, found Julian beginning to harden, this man could turn him on so fast it made his head spin. Ezra pushed him onto his back, and it was then he felt the gambler’s cock was still hard and throbbing, for some reason he hadn’t come.  Ezra leaned down and claimed his mouth in a long kiss that left him Julian breathless as he rubbed against Julian’s hand. But at the same time it wasn’t want Julian wanted, he caught Ezra and rolled him under him. It had taken all his  control not to push  Ezra away from him, the gambler was one hell of a good ass, but he didn’t want to touch him like that, instead he caught Ezra’s hand and pressed a kiss to his palm, and guided the gambler’s hand back down. As he whispered with kisses to his eyes and mouth “come for me, want to see you come.”

For a heartbeat he thought that Ezra was about to deny him, but Ezra’s need was too great and he worked his cock, it didn’t take much he was so hard the pre-com was leaking from him that he had to have release and cried out as his cum splattered over his belly and hand, Julian claimed his mouth in another kiss, and then moved off the bed. Ezra grabbed for him, which made Julian smile, did Ezra actually think he would leave him, the night was still young and he had plans for that trim body and that firm ass.  He said the words that Ezra wanted to hear, it amused him that such an independent self confident man like this gambler could be brought down by a hard cock and soft words, the man was pathetic, the contempt he felt for his own weakness in wanting this gambler turned into contempt for this naked man who was so readily offering his ass up to him.

All the same Julian quickly stripped as he said softly, “I am not going anywhere Ezra,” and then naked pulled the gambler into his arms. Julian pushed against Ezra’s hip rolling onto his stomach, his hand firmly pinning Ezra there when he started to protest wanting to move onto his back.

“Want to see your face Julian, need to”, Ezra pleaded but Julian ignored him, to him Ezra was no more than a willing hole and a fine trim body that was here for his pleasure, what Ezra wanted was immaterial. He would have laughed in Ezra’s face if he hadn’t thought it would curtail the evening’s pleasure, that this gambler would think that he would even want to look at his face as he took him was comical. By now Julian was so hard it was almost painful, as he cooed words of comfort to a man he thought of no different than the $3 whores he used, with  a firm arm round Ezra’s waist he  pulling the gambler onto all fours, pushing his own knee forward to part Ezra’s. Then for a moment Julian halted as his hands then moved to the firm cheeks of Ezra’s ass and Julian spread them and looked  at the fluttering pucker his cum was seeping from it, and a feeling of ownership ran through him, this man was his. This time he entered Ezra slowly, and tenderly, not  because he felt any emotions for Ezra but because it was his pleasure to take him that  way afterwards Julian  tugged the blanket up over their bodies, his hands moving over Ezra, petting and stroking, and gentling him after his climax, and pulling him close and joined him in sleep.

Julian woke up hard, he rolled on his side and trailed his hands over Ezra’s body, and he didn’t have long before he would have to go. He planned to make the most of his time with Ezra as he could, reaching out he fondled Ezra until the gambler woke, and he saw in that split second that Ezra didn’t know who he was so he plundered his mouth with hot kisses until that sweet body was arching up against him. He took the  younger gambler one more time before dressing slowly as always checking his appearance in the flyspecked mirror before leaving by the back stair case with a  with a muttered promise of tonight.

0-0-0-0-0

Ezra lay in his bed, watching the tall blond haired Julian Parker leave his room, the only mementoes of their coupling was the dull ache of his body and the scent of musky sex that clung to his skin, he rolled onto his side and watched the dawn light break over the roof of the store opposite the saloon. He tugged the pillow and wrapped his arms round it pulling it tight against his body, needing a physical connection with something, as the feeling of loneliness ran through him causing him to shudder, as he felt the emptiness now that his lover of the moment was gone. Lover he spat the word out and flung his arm across his face as he threw the pillow away from him,   that was a lie that somehow made the soulless fucking more bearable, he though bitterly nothing more or less, Julian was  more considerate then most but less considerate than some. He was nothing to the man but a warm, willing body, and come the morning he would ignore him as if he wasn’t worth as much consideration as the dirt on his shoes. Ezra slammed his hand down hard against his thigh, again and again, why did he do that, why did he put himself in his position.  The answer he knew with brutal honest was that what he wanted he could never have a long term relationship with a man that would respect and love him.  But who the hell was he trying to con, no one would ever want him for more than a quick fuck or a short time arrangement while they had the itch while they were away from home. Cynically he told himself to enjoy the blond while he could, use him like he was being used, because it would end like all the others all too soon.  What did he expect did he really think there was such a thing as a happy ending, huh? This was something that had to be kept hidden away from the light of day, even in his world of gambling and prostitution, it was dangerous to be too open with his unnatural urges as his mother called them.

Ezra rolled onto his back and reached out blindly onto the floor and found his flask where it had fallen out of his pocket last night, he flicked the lid and drained it, in two large sips, the whiskey warming his body. He dropped it back onto the floor and then rolled out of bed, wincing at the pain in his body and padded to his saddle bag and pulled out a bottle of the cheap rot gut whiskey, uncorked it and took a long drink from the bottle.   Then took another drink as he returned to bed, by tomorrow night he would be clear headed, but for the moment he could lose himself in the two releases he had drink and his own hand. 

Each night for the next week Julian came to his poker table and from there to his bed, and Ezra found he could not turn him away from either. Ezra was a realist and knew that all they had was that time together, nothing more; there was no emotional connection between them, just the physical need.  He knew it was over when Julian paused at the door on his way out and went to drop some notes onto the dresser.

A sickness weld up inside of Ezra, as he said “No Julian,” He met the handsome blond gaze wanting him to understand, that this was different.

The blond man’s head nodded “I didn’t mean to upset your Ezra, I just, you have made me so happy I wanted to give you something so you could buy something for yourself. A new watch, a new…” he trailed off and shrugged.

“Your company is enough, tomorrow night.” Ezra hated himself for sounding so needy.

“I finished my business yesterday; I am catching the stage coach tomorrow, sorry.” He turned and reached for the door handle, only for Ezra to cover his hand he hadn’t heard the gambler get up the door was pushed back close he felt the pressure of Ezra’s naked body against him, and for a heat beat he closed his eyes, and then turned and in two strides had Ezra pushed back on the bed, and he was covering him, tearing open his fly to push into the warm heat of a willing body, something to keep him warm on the trip back to Clarkesville.   The next time when he left he looked down at a sleeping Ezra Standish, peeled the notes from his wallet and pushed them into Ezra’s coat pocket and left on the next stage coach out of town.

That afternoon as Ezra was dressing he pushed his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a handful of dollar bills, and he sank down onto the bed. Thirty dollars that was what Julian has thought he was worth, Ezra threw the money away from him, and picked the bottle up, and took a long pull on it. “Bastard” he breathed the word as he took another drink, “fucking bastard” and threw the bottle it smashed against the wall, and Ezra buried his face in his hands. That night in the saloon, Ezra’s winning streak came to an end, the next morning he rode out of town and headed south.

0-0-0-0-0

Three months later

Buck Wilmington was no man’s fool, a professional gunman he made a living selling his gun to the highest bidder and sometimes that meant wearing a badge.  He had arrived in Clarkesville two months ago the sheriff William ‘Billy’ Monroe was an old friend and while they had been talking over old times, Billy had been keen for him to become his Deputy  explaining that he would need an extra deputy if the range war he had been worrying about kicked off.

Buck had readily accepted the job not only was he helping a friend and getting paid for it but he   had good reason to believe that Chris Larabee was in the area, and if there was a range war, his friend would be hiring out his gun. Five years ago he had watched his wild devil may care friend fall for a sweet girl, marry and settle down. The wanderlust had left Buck and he had happily settled down working Chris Larabee’s horse ranch as a partner. He invest what money he had in helping to  buy horses, and basked in the happiness  of the newlyweds and when Adam their son was born, he was a uncle and he reveled in that role. Then two years ago they had returned from a horse buying trip to find the house burned to the ground and the dead bodies of Sarah and Adam Larabee burned into black husks. It was then he had watched as the man that was Chris Larabee, father, and husband had died. The man that had ridden away from their burials had been another; this one wore the all black of deepest mourning, and was consumed by hatred. For a while he had travelled with Chris, but finally he had been driven away, by Chris’s black homicidal drunk rages, and the savage beatings when that anger had turned on him as its only release. But Buck was unable to write his old friend off so he tried to keep tags on him, but the West was a big place. Even so the reputation that Chris was earning made his name known and each new story had saddened Buck down to his very soul.

The town of Clarkesville had grown over the last couple of years and had aspirations so already a divide had emerged.  On one side the decent god fearing people and on the other side of, what the locals called the deadline, gamblers, and whores.  Picking up his hat he gave a nod to Sheriff Billy  Monroe, and headed out to walk the line as he called it, and see what new scum had surfaced over night on the wrong side of the tracks.

0-0-0-0-0

Turner’s Saloon

Ezra  was seated at his table in Turner’s Saloon , that  was  if you could call this flea bitten dive with warped floor boards, a make shift counter with a cracked mirror and whiskey that would that so rough it would take paint off, a saloon, he personally had some less than gentlemanly words for it. But it was the only place in town that he could afford a table at, and since he was down to his last $50 of his own money Ezra knew he had to play somewhere, and it might as well be here. He would just have to bide his time and build his money up, until he could afford to buy into one of the high stakes games at the Golden Nugget on Main Street.

Giving the others a smile that made his gold tooth flash in the lamp light he laid his cards down, “a full house gentlemen.”

Then men in disgust threw their cards onto the table. Phil Gordon shook his head “you’re one lucky bastard you know that Standish.”

Ezra’s hand paused only fractionally as he scooped up the money, he cocked his head slightly, but Phil just smiled warmly at him, no hard feelings there.

0-0-0-0

Ezra went to collect a bottle of whiskey from the bartender, it had been doctored half whiskey half water, it upset his sensibilities to spoil good whiskey but that was nothing like good whiskey.  It was then he saw the big man slide into place next to him, he leaned on the counter his hand resting near this gun. The big man moved the label of his jacket so that he could get a look at the badge he wore, Ezra knew that on the wrong side of the tracks gambling and prostitution was legal, so there was only one reason a lawman would be over here, it was just a matter of how he was going to play it.

“Name’s Deputy Sheriff Buck Wilmington,”

 “Ezra Standish, Deputy Wilmington, an honest gambler just looking for a game.”

“Honest?” There was a hint of amusement in Buck’s voice as he  let the word hang in the air for a moment as if test it then he added, “just make sure that you are Standish if you want to keep playing.”

“How much Mr. Wilmington.” The gambler cocked his head slightly as if weighting him up.

Buck shook his head “you better not be saying what I think your saying Standish, you play and keep it legal and that’s all there is to it. You break the law and I’ll throw your ass into jail.” Wilmington nodded towards the table “it looks like your latest victims have arrived Standish.” It never failed to amuse the cynic in Buck that the good people of Clarkesville would stand up and denounce the whores and gamblers yet once the night time came they would line up to take their turns.

Ezra turned back to his table and smiled in welcome to his newest marks, the smile hardened as he saw one of the men.

“Good evening Mr. Standish, Mr. Turner said that you could give us a good game.” Julian Parker opened his wallet and took a wad of money from it, enough to choke a horse,   his tapered fingers tidying it into a neat pile. “I am sure that this will be enough to buy me a good evening entertainment don’t you think so Mr. Standish.” He raised an eyebrow and gave Ezra a knowing smile.

“It depends Sir on how the cards fall.” Ezra replied smoothly and coolly, and began to deal.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Buck had watched as the latest fools were preparing to be parted from their money, and headed for the door, when Nellie caught his eyes, the ginger headed fire brand had blown into town a week ago and quickly became a firm favorite with the men. Nellie was pretty, feisty, and a damn good lay and Buck always liked an adventurous girl, but hell he liked all woman, finding pleasure in their uniqueness. Buck went over leaning close and talking quickly as he arranged to spend some time with her later.

It was then he noticed the newcomer, the man was younger than him, he wore a well worn buckskin jacket, a slouch confederate cavalry hat, and a strapped down mare’s leg. He met Buck’s inquisitive look head on, his blue eyes cold and calculating, this Buck knew was a dangerous man, he just needed to find out which side of the law the man walked on. The man was a buffalo hunter or tracker by the look of him, he laid a Winchester on the counter and ordered a drink, slapping the coin down, and turning with a foot resting on the rail running along the base of the bar, and viewed the room.  He was a man that liked to know exactly what was going on round him that was certain. It was then Buck was brought back to the present by a warm small hand cupping him, and squeezing Nellie certainly had a way of getting his attention as she whispered sweet nothings into his ear as she caught his hand and began to tug it as she turned away and started towards the stairs.

Reluctantly, Buck eased back “later sweet heart, old Buck has some work to do.” Nellie pouted and then turned her attention to the newcomer, only for him to shake his head and turn back to his drink, with a huh she flounced off only to be caught and pulled into the lap of a cowboy already well on the way to being drunk. Buck made a mental note to check the wanted posters and then carried on with his patrol.

0-0-0-0-0

Sheriff Monroe  sat at his desk, a cup of coffee in his hand, the man was in his late fifties, what hair he had was grey and in the winter his joints began to give him  trouble, he had  had given the best part of his life to law enforcement, only to end up in a dead end town, risking his life for $30  a month and all found and to be looking his retirement in the eye knowing that he would be walking away with a couple of bucks in his pocket and empty platitudes of the town fathers, a drifter the same as all the ones he had driven out of all the towns he had worked.

Monroe pulled himself back to the present “Any one I should know about Buck.”

“Gambler by the name of Standish, and a long hair tracker, buckskin jacket and reb cavalry hat.”

Monroe frowned, “wears a mare’s leg.”

“Yeah, you know him.”

“Texan by the name of Vin Tanner, bounty killer, real mean son of a bitch.”

“He any good?”

“Hell yes, if you’ve got a price on your head, you don’t want him on your trail, can shot the balls off a fly at 1000 yards, a fucking reb sharpshooter.”

Buck crossed to the pot belly stove and poured himself a cup of coffee, “seems like you know him?” He left the question hanging, but cocked an eye at his boss waiting for an answer.

“Could say that, the son of a bitch, he brought in Mick Saunders over the back of his horse, Saunders was a punk kid, but didn’t deserve that, I knew his father in the war.” Monroe lapsed into silence, his hand tightening on the cup he was holding.

“So you want me to run him off.” Buck’s voice didn’t give any indication of what he felt one way or other.

“Leave him be for the moment, I like to have that long haired breed where I can see him,” the loathing was rolling off Monroe’s tongue, leaving Buck in no doubt what he thought of the bounty hunter.

“Blue eyed never seen a breed with blue eyes,” Buck drawled.

“As good as one, lived with the Comanche, a white renegade, shouldn’t be with decent people.”

Buck didn’t like the calculating way Monroe was looking at him.

“Spit it out Billy what you want doing.”

“Keep an eye on him, but make sure that he doesn’t leave town, and if he steps one foot out of line, throw his ass into jail.”

“Free country Billy, man can leave town if he wants too.”

Billy’s voice e went hard “Just fucking well do it Buck, he don’t leave town until I am ready, you do it or I’ll get Matt too.” The threat hung in the air.

Buck drained his coffee, “that what you want, Billy, but I ain’t happy about it.” But if it kept Matt away from the tracker that was all that mattered, Matt Parker was a real son on a bitch, and following Billy like a cur dog, and was ready to use his fists to enforce what Billy wanted.

“Don’t pay you to be happy Buck, just to help me keep the law.” Monroe paused and then said “What about the other one, the gambler.”

“He looks successful enough to possibly be cheating, read him the riot act.” Buck didn’t tell Billy about the proposition his old friend didn’t need more temptation than he already had.

Monroe nodded “If he crosses the dead line I want to know about it.”

Buck frowned he didn’t like the sound of that, he was all too aware that Billy Monroe was one for dipping his hands in to other men’s pockets, he never put the squeeze on the decent good folk, but the men and women across the deadline felt it. He took money off the madams and the saloon owners and sex off the whores, no one refused him or he would beat them bloody and drag them to jail and it was getting worse and he hadn’t been able to stop it. It now looked like Billy was past redemption, and Buck knew he was going to have to leave town soon, no longer able to stomach his old friend any more. Because Billy had become cruel money grabbing has been a shadow of the man he had called friend and respected. If he didn’t get out soon then all he was going to have left to remember Billy Monroe by was hate and contempt for what once had been a good man.

0-0-0-0-0

Vin Tanner went back to the livery stable to check on his horse, he had very little money but when it was a choice between food for himself or Diablo and he always put his horse first. He patted the black horse’s broad white nose affectionately as it nuzzled against his chest, happy to be back with his master again. Diablo stood 18 hands of mean lean muscle, he had the rare blend of stamina and speed, his long strides eat up the countryside, he barely tolerated other people and the only one that could lay hands on him, and still retain them was Vin, even so he was apt to sneak in a bite or two if he thought Vin’s attention was wavering. The horse pushed at this pocket and Vin pulled out the apple he had brought, bit off a piece and then fed it to the horse, old Diablo loved his apples.

When the horse pushed against him for more, Vin patted his strong neck, “Sorry boy that’s all we’ve got, seen me a bounty in the saloon sitting there as pretty as you please, not much, but put some food in our bellies. Don’t look as if he’s going anywhere, fixing to take him as soon as I can cut him out of the herd.”

Diablo huffed in agreement, Vin smiled and patted him affectingly  and then began to bed down for the night in the  horse’s stall, in the far corner, the straw would keep him warm, and Diablo would sound the alarm if anyone came near him while he slept. Vin pulled his thread bare blanket up round him and tugged his hat down over his eyes, under the blanket his hand rested on his mares leg that laid across his stomach, only then did he allow himself to sleep.

0-0-0-0-0-0

6.00 am

Julian Parker, straightened his tie and then looked back to where Ezra Standish was laid on the bed half seated prompted up on his elbows a sheet tantalizing draped across his hips.  Julian turned back to the mirror and checked his hair, and then picked up his hat, reaching towards the inner pocket of the jacket, then his hand dropped away, and catching Ezra’s eye he shrugged embarrassed. Relieved when Ezra smiled no insult taken “I’ll join your table again on Tuesday night, for another hand or two if you’ll allow me,”

Ezra was well practiced at this game; he hadn’t automatically assumed that Julian wanted to spend the night, until they started to play their word game over the hands of poker. Also he wasn’t sure if he was prepared to let the man back into his bed, but by the end of the evening Ezra knew that he couldn’t deny Julian just like he couldn’t turn his back on a poker game. They had retired to his room, and the two of them had finally collapsed exhausted and sated onto the bed in the early hours of the morning. It paid to be careful when Julian left his room, Ezra had seen what happened when the good people found one of their calling, a quick hanging was preferable to being arrested and sent to jail. Alonso, a fellow gambler, had lasted three fear filled months in prison before he had taken his own life after repeated rapes had torn his insides apart and left him racked with pain and fever, Ezra was brought back to the present, by the touch of Julian’s hand, as it cupped his face and he leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips.  

Julian smiled again as he straightened up and then with one last look at the dark headed handsome man he was leaving behind left the room, a bounce in his stride. As he stepped out onto the sidewalk Julian paused for a moment and looked up at the night sky, already the streaks across it showed the dawn was coming soon. He pushed his hands into his pocket, and started walking he wanted to be home before his father and mother realized that he hasn’t just been out late but hadn’t returned until the early hours.

0-0-0-0-0

Ezra got up and padded naked to the door and threw the lock, and then poured water into a bowl, and used a piece of flannel to wash himself down. Turning he reached a hand out and picked up his flask from the chest of drawers, and traced his fingers over the engraved name, and flicked the cap open with his thumb and raised it in bitter salute to himself. God when had he become that weak that he so craved another’s touch that he was willing to allow Julian back into his bed again.

Ezra sat down on the bed, and cupped the flask in his hands, it was his only reminder of his father, or rather the only man that Maude his mother had hitched up with that had treated him like a son, his hand tightened on the flask.  The flask was like him, it looked like something it wasn’t. It looked silver but in reality was a cheat metal and summed up his life even the nearest thing he had to a father had been false; nothing in his life was what it seemed. He had bedded Julian Parker because of his lean body and his blond hair reminded him of the black dressed icy blond gunman Chris Larabee who he had met in the border town of Purgatory. He yearned for the blond, but he knew that he could never have him, hell the man would blow his head off if he ever thought that he was lusting after his body. So Julian was no different than his flask, beautiful but a copy of something that he could never have.

0-0-0-0-0

Livery Stable

6.00 am

Vin shivered with the cold, and tried to burrow down into the straw, but sleep wouldn’t come and he spent the rest of the night watching and waiting for the watery morning light to break through the night. Once it was light enough to see he dug the poster from his pocket, and his fingers ghosted over the lettering he couldn’t read or write, but he had memorized his posters, this gambler was Ezra Standish, or Simpson, or Sutherland, didn’t matter, he had run from Fort Laramie escaping before he stood trial, the bounty on him $50, and he needed the money.

 

0-0-0-0-0

Buck was coming back from his night with the Widow Cummings, she made no demands on him other that she wanted a good time, and Buck was only too happy to supply it. He paused when he saw Matt and another deputy Jack Carpenter, heading towards the livery, and decided to see what they were up to, knowing the two men it wouldn’t be anything good.

0-0-0-0-0-0

When Buck got there all hell was beginning to let loose, Vin Tanner was on his feet a bowie knife in his hands and facing down Matt and Jack. Matt had one hand clamped to a bleeding forearm, with Jack’s colt pointed straight at Vin Tanner.

“Easy boys.” Buck kept his hands clear as he entered the livery stable.

“His fucking horse bit us and the bastard pulled a knife on us. I…. Matt started.

“Back off, Matt.” Buck said, he saw the way Tanner stood he  had one arm wrapped round his ribs, and there was blood running from his mouth and nose, it didn’t take a genius to know that they had jumped the  bounty hunter and come off worse.

“Fuck you Buck” Jack snarled.

Buck’s hand dropped to his gun, and Jack spluttered to a halt, “No call to take on like that Buck, he’s an Indian lover, a fucking renegade.”

“Think it’s time you boys left, you had your fun, now get off before I let him carve you up with the pig sticker of his.”

Buck waited until they had left, and then turned his attention to the hunter, Tanner hadn’t relaxed he didn’t blame him. “Looks like they got you good in the ribs, they bust anything.”

Vin shook his head, and then winced, Buck swore under his breath, and keeping his eyes fixed on Tanner’s blue eyes, knowing that they might be the only indication he got if Tanner was going to strike at him.  He closed the distance between them, “if I was with them Tanner, I would have let them finish what they started,” Buck waited a heartbeat, and then reached out and took Vin by the arm and helped him to the pile of hay bales, and got him sat down. He heard the hiss of pain as the younger man lowered himself down.

“Your horse got Matt good, what is he part snapping turtle.”

“Old Diablo can be a mit protective.”

“Good horse,” Buck said, and saw the nod that Vin gave him, and then the big man knelt down, “let's take a look see.” Carefully Buck helped him peel the buckskin jacket back, “sorry Tanner,” Buck apologized in advance knowing it was going to hurt. Finally he sat back on his heels, “nothing broken but you is going to be black and blue by morning.”

Buck got up and removed his bandana and dipped it into a water bucket, and rang it out, Vin reached for it; Buck pressed it into Vin’s hand, and watched as the younger man, pressed it to his nose and used it to clean the blood from his lips.

“Get out of town Tanner and do it now.” Buck warned as he turned to leave, only to hear Tanner call after him.

“Thanks.”

Buck paused nodded and then left the livery stable, the sun was now climbing up into the sky, he saw Tiny and his brother emerging from their homes and heading towards the livery stable, Tanner would be safe for the moment. 

0-0-0-0-0

Morning

Julian Parker sat across the breakfast table from his parents; his father was the wealthiest man in the county, a robber baron if there ever was one.  His mother was kind and caring, but kept herself busy with her Ladies Committee, and Temperance League, she was dropping hints about  Maggie Fisher.  Julian was sure that his mother had no ideas that he like men, but his father, that was a different story. He had told Ezra that he would come back on the Tuesday night, but already he could feel his pulse starting to beat faster as he thought of the gambler, his body laid out on the bed like a feast for a starving man. Tonight he would be at Ezra’s table again, and damn caution; he had to have him again. But one thing with the dawning of a new day had bothered him. Why, had Ezra arrived in Clarkesville, he had been careful or so he thought not to let the gambler know where he lived. Yet here he was, it could be a coincidence, but he didn’t really believe in them. It would have been simpler if Ezra had accepted the money, after all any man that let another man use him like a woman had to be a whore. He had always paid for his pleasures, and he decided that the reason Ezra must have got under his skin was because he was the one man that refused the money. And last night when Ezra has opened the card game with the exact amount he had left in his pocket that last time, he had never felt himself get so hard so fast in his life.  Hell he had been half afraid to stand up afterwards to get a new bottle of drink because he was scare he would embarrassed himself.  But it had been well worth it afterwards; Ezra was one fine bit of ass and his body responded so well to the slightest stimuli, he could keep him hanging on the edge of coming for as long as he wanted as he played with him. That beautiful body twisting and writhing under him as he ploughed him up to the hilt. His mouth watered at what he planned to so to him tonight, but then the sobering thought came to mind, and it was like a dash of cold water. Ezra refused money for being fucked, what if he wanted more from him, then it could turn nasty, and Julian had more to lose from being exposed than some itinerant gambler.

“Julian.”

Julian was pulled back to the present, “yes mother.”

“Don’t forget you’re being taking Maggie to the church social on Saturday, you do make such a striking couple, only yesterday her mother……….”

Julian let his mother talk, paying only a slight interest in what she was saying, Maggie lacked everything he liked, her overweigh body poured into a corset, that left her on the edge of passing out. He like the hard curves of a man’s body, feeling the muscle under him, the scarp of whiskers against his face, he gave a soft sigh.  Hearing his father clear his throat, he looked up from his breakfast and smiled “Yes mother of course.” His father disappearing behind the local broadsheet, the tutting noise his only words during the meal.

0-0-0-0-0

Ezra emerged at noon, and enjoyed a surprisingly good meal at Sally’s Eatery, and then headed across the deadline, towards the bath house, he paused as he saw Julian go by, his arm tucked round that of a small, plump but pretty woman. For a split second the two of them locked eyes, Julian looking away quickly turning into the woman, and saying something that made her laugh. It didn’t surprise Ezra, it was the shadow and mirrors that they used to hide their true nature, and he turned away and headed into the bath house. At this time t he bath house should be quiet, and he could enjoy a good soak.

Mr. Lang was sat at his station just inside of the door, leafing through the Morgan Morning News; he looked up, from the broadsheet, and put his hand out for the money, closing his fist round the coins that the fancy dressed gambler dropped into his hand.  The large room was curtained off, each cubical had a large metal tub in the middle of it, next to it two buckets of cold water, Ezra stripped off his jacket and hung it up on the hook, and he was unbuckling his gun belt when one of the youths Lang had working for him, pushed open the curtains and lowered two steaming buckets of water on the floor. Quickly the young man mixed the hot and cold water until it was just right he took the hot water buckets with a mumbled “be back in  a minute” while Ezra eased his aching body into the water, sighing with relief as the heat began to soak into his muscles. The young man returned and added a final bucket to the foot of the bath and then placed a bar of lye soap, and a threadbare towel, then was gone.

Ezra took a sniff at the soap, and wrinkled his nose in disgust, but dipped it into the water with the cleaning rag and began to wash himself, cleaning away the last residue of last night’s loving making. He leaned his head back against the edge of the bath, and closed his eyes and just let himself enjoy the luxurious feel of the warm water moving over his body.

The double click of a Winchester being cocked brought Ezra’s snapping open and reaching for his gun, but his hand halted just short of it, as he looked up from the booted foot that pinned it to the floor, and then up the old pants to the dirty buckskin jacket and then up into the face of the man that was holding the Winchester, no a mares leg.  

Ezra eased back, slowly, his mind spinning, as he tried to place the gunman, and came up blank. “I fear sir that you have me at a disadvantage, but I am sure that you are mistaken we haven’t met before.”

The soft Texan accent did nothing to soften the words. “I’s here to collect the bounty on you, $50, can do it two ways, hard or easy your call.”

“You’re mistaken Mister,” Ezra paused.

“Tanner, and you’re Simpson.”

“There Mr. Tanner you have mistaken me, I…”

“Don’t matter what name you’re using now, a bounty’s a bounty, so get your ass out of the tub, and get dressed.”

Ezra leaned back, “and if I don’t, are you prepared to shoot me, Mr. Tanner.”

For a second the vivid blue eyes of the bounty hunter met Ezra’s “not me shooting you that you should worry about Simpson, but where.” Tanner’s lips twitched into a cold smile, as the barrel of the mare’s leg dropped slightly and were now pointing between Ezra’s legs, causing the gambler to close them quickly.

“You sir are no gentleman,” Ezra huffed, but not prepared to see if the Texan was joking.  Slowly he began to get up, Tanner had moved away from the tub, leaving him no chance of being able to drag the Texan down.

A  towel hit Ezra in the face, and he began to dry himself, as he did so he studied the bounty hunter, the man was possible slightly younger than him, just a little taller, and his body was lean and sleek, reminding Ezra of a panther he  saw at a traveling show. Good looking under that stubble, the hair long and hanging on his shoulders, he saw the slouched confederate cavalry hat, a bounty hunter, but also a tracker if he didn’t miss his guess. Not a man he wanted dogging his tracks, when he got away from him. Ezra had no doubt that he could escape from the man, it was just how.  It was then Ezra caught the look the bounty hunter gave him, it was fleeting but he was sure that the man just checked out his ass. Ezra continued dressing slowing down giving the hunter a show, all the time monitoring him with covert glances. He suppressed a smile he was more than sure that Tanner was interested in him, he finished dressing pulling his jacket on.

Ezra pulled his hat on, “This is a mistake Mr. Tanner, I can safely say you are wasting your time, and there is no bounty on me.  I suggest a visit to the Sheriff straight away to put this mistake correct I have business to conclude tonight and.”

Tanner ignored him, and instead pulled a poster from his pocket and showed it to him Ezra didn’t let his face show his annoyance the old Fort Laramie poster, he had stood a better chance of talking his way out of this before Tanner had produced it, evidence in black and white could be he mused so inconvenient.   Tanner folded it and put it back into the pocket of the buckskin jacket. A gesture of the mare’s leg and Ezra started to walk out of the bath house, surprised when Tanner, caught the back of his jacket and hauled him to halt  as he did so Ezra collided with Tanner and for a moment savored the lean muscular body the hunter, before Tanner pushed him towards the back door. Outside there was his horse saddled along with a black horse that was trying to take a bite out of his horse’s hide.

“It seems Mr. Tanner; your horse is as ill bred as yourself.” But the bounty hunter didn’t say anything; he pulled himself on his horse, the mare’s leg never wavering, and then waited for Ezra to mount up. Ezra’s mind was racing he had to somehow stop the hunter from getting him out of town, because once in the wilds his chances of escape against a tracker like Tanner dropped off. Even though Tanner had caught him he didn’t really want to hurt the man.

The ambush caught them before they could get out of town, Sheriff Monroe, Matt and Jack Carpenter, were all waiting for them the men ringed them the Sheriffs scattered gun pointed straight at Vin Tanner.

“Lose the gun Tanner now.”

“Not doing anything wrong Sheriff, man’s got a poster on him, just doing my job.” Tanner made no move to drop the mare’s leg, keeping it pointed at Ezra.

Monroe spat in the dirt showing what he thought of that. The Sheriff looked at Ezra up and down, noting the red jacket, and the description snapped into place Standish, the gambler from the deadline.

“What’s this breed saying your did Standish?”

If Ezra showed any surprise the man knew his name he didn’t show it. “

“Mr. Tanner believed  that I was wanted for a small violation of the law in  Fort Laramie, I have never been in Fort Laramie, Mr. Tanner is clearly wrong.

“You can prove that Tanner?” Monroe drawled.

Vin nodded “got me a wanted poster,” keeping one hand still on the mare’s leg he reached into his pocket, this expression Ezra decided would have been priceless under any other circumstances. The bounty hunter clawed at the pocket, the poster was missing.

“No poster Mr. Tanner?” Ezra said levelly, now to turn the screw, “perhaps you can tell these gentlemen what was written on the poster.”

“His names Ezra Simpson, he’s wanted in Fort Laramie, the bounty is $50.”

“What else is on the poster Mr. Tanner?” Catching the look in the hunter’s eyes he under stood and ruthlessly pressed home his advantage, “the truth of the matter is that Mr. Tanner can’t read, therefore gentlemen if he can’t read the poster how can he be sure that he has the right man. It is simply a mistake.”

“The gentleman’s name is Ezra Standish”, a cultured voice cut in, as Julian Parker stepped forward, I happen to have been playing cards with Mr. Standish last night. This breed,”

“Ain’t a breed,” Vin said there was a chill to the words that made the hair at the back of Ezra’s neck stand on end.  Out of the corner of his eyes, Ezra saw one of the deputies’ moves, a flash of metal, then a dull thud and a cry of pain, and Tanners body dropped out of the saddle as Matt’s rifle thudded into the bounty hunter sending him crashing to the ground off his horse.  The mare’s leg fell from his hand as he clawed for it, fighting the pain; a foot came down pinning it in place. Matt stood over him, the barrel of his Winchester pressed to the back of Vin Tanners head, “Keep your mouth closed Tanner, your betters are talking.”

“Gentlemen, please” Ezra cut in quickly “there is no need for this Mr.  Tanner made an honest mistake, and.”

“And he would have taken you out of town Mr. Standish, and possibly killed you, and you would not have been the first.” Parker looked towards Monroe, enjoying his manipulation of the lawman.

The older man nodded “boys were going to have a talk with him.” Ezra didn’t like the look Monroe gave his men, it meant only pain for the bounty hunter and although he was pleased not to be taken out of town with a gun at his back, he didn’t like what he was seeing. In his jacket pocket Ezra fingered the rough paper of the wanted poster that he had managed to pickpocket from the Texan.

“Mr. Parker, I am sure that Mr. Tanner will leave town now, he realizes his mistake.”

Parker shook his head, “unfortunately you are unaware of the nature of these animals, they only learn through example. Sheriff Monroe is quite experienced in dealing with his kind.” Julian paused, “I do believe that I was heading to the hotel before all this occurred. Will you join me for luncheon Mr. Standish, it isn’t often I get to talk to an educated man in these parts.” He indicated the alleyway that would take them back to the main street. With one concerned look at Vin Tanner, Ezra followed him; he paused as he stepped onto Main Street as he heard the first muffled blows. About to turn back Ezra felt his elbow caught and tugged forcefully. “That is over Ezra, believe me you do not want to get involved”, Parker smiled “and over luncheon you can tell me why that uncouth creature was after you.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

Buck Wilmington had returned back to town after being called out to the French Ranch, about some cattle rustling. He tied his big grey horse Scout up in front of the jail, leaving the horse to take his fill of the water trough. Matt came out he stopped, “Missed some fun Buck, that breed you helped this morning, got the message alright now.”

Buck pushed past him, ignoring Monroe and Jack sat in the front office drinking coffee to get through to the cells. Vin Tanner was laid on the floor of one of the cells his body pulled up in a tight ball, his face hidden by his long hair, but blood was smeared on the floor.

Buck grabbed the key from the wall, and quickly unlocked the door and then kneeling turned Tanner over onto his back, as he spoke to him softly, “easy Tanner I ain’t going to hurt you.”

 The fist that shot out caught Buck on the jaw and sent him falling backwards onto his ass, Tanner was up and half way out of the door when Buck still on the floor grabbed his ankle and pulled hard, bringing the smaller man slamming down near  to him. Buck managed to avoid the kick at his head with Tanner’s other foot.  Buck scrambled onto the younger man landing  hard onto  Tanners back, to try and knock the fight out of him,  but all he got was an elbow in the face that would have broken his nose if it had landed,  Buck managed use  his greater weight and bigger build to pin the trashing man down. Finally in desperation Buck slammed Vin’s head against the floor and the young man’s body went limp under him. He heard a laugh from the doorway and say Billy Monroe stood there. “Regular wild cat isn’t he.”

“What the hell happened Billy?” Buck demanded, as he carefully got to his feet and fingered his face feeling his teeth, satisfied he was alright, Buck bent caught Vin’s arms and dragged him back into the cell, the hauled him onto the cot and flipped him onto his stomach.

“Out the way Buck.” Matt said as he pushed past and upended a bucket of piss onto the tracker, “that should wake him up.”

Vin’s head moved and then dropped back on the straw mattress.

Buck grabbed Matt, “what the fuck did you do that for.”

“You think I am going to waste good water on that scum.”

“Billy.” Buck looked at this old friend, the man just smiled and turned his back leaving Buck alone with Vin Tanner as his toddy Matt, followed him out. Looking down at the bounty hunter, Buck ran a hand through his hair, “Hell son what have you got yourself into.” He locked the cell door and pocketed the key, it was the only one, and while he had it no one could get to Tanner.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Hotel

Julian lit his cigar, all the time his eyes on Ezra, this was a god send to him, if Ezra was wanted then he had a way of getting rid of the gambler if or when he tired with him the man refused to leave. Tomorrow he would have Tommy send a telegram to Fort Laramie to find out what Ezra had done. He would then hold all the cards in this relationship, and like a good cigar he was going to savor the power he had over this handsome young gambler.

0-0-0-0-0

Ezra made all the right small talk, but he knew that he had to play his cards carefully, and not just the ones on the poker table, he was good a reading people and were Julian was concerned he had let his need overwhelm his common senses. Handsome, Julian was, there was darkness in him, and he had seen in their love making. Love making on his side, fucking on Julian’s. Julian Parker didn’t like touching him, oh he would fuck him into the mattress, but he wouldn’t touch him to prepare him, or bring him off if he didn’t come when Julian did. It was as if  his responses had to be done as a show for Julian, yet he had allowed Julian back into his bed last night, and like an addiction would allow him in it again tonight. Of all the towns he had to have ended up Julian’s home town, the greatest cosmic joke. Ezra started as he felt Julian’s hand on his thigh the fingers trailing up to rub against his cock, quickly Ezra looked round no one was looking Julian actions were hidden under draped table cloth. Biting the inside of his lip Ezra stop  an inadvertent cry of pain as Julian pinched his inner thigh hard making him open his legs giving him greater access to his body. Julian smiled at him, a smug smile as he took another pull on his cigar; the man Ezra knew was savoring the two vices in his life, his body and a fine cigar. Ezra clamped his hand on Julian’s wrist and dragged his hand away from him. As Ezra hissed “I am no play thing Mr. Parker,” and then Ezra was on his feet and walking away.

“Ezra.”

“Mr. Parker.” Ezra made his tone final, and he walked away, pausing at the door to the hotel looked towards the alley way where Julian had walked him away from where the law enforcers had been holding Vin Tanner.

They would have let the tracker go, wouldn’t they? In his mind’s eye Ezra saw the trackers face, good looking his long hair framing a face with the most vivid blue eyes he had ever seen. A long lean body, hidden by old battered clothes, with a start he realized that he had imprinted everything about the tracker on his mind and with a very physical start he realized that he was attracted to the man.

He took a step down the boardwalk and then turned back and shook his head; his mind kept going back to Vin Tanner. He would check up on the tracker, more than likely he was out of town by now, the local law enforcers had made it clear he was not wanted in town. Ezra was torn he told himself to forget Tanner, the man had wanted to take him in for the bounty, but still he hadn’t deserved to be beaten down.

 It was then he saw Buck Wilmington, coming out of the jail, on his heels was the Sheriff he didn’t know what was said but the Sheriff looked royally pissed off and the deputy’s face was dark with anger. Then Deputy Wilmington stalked off, the Sheriff went to follow and turned and went back inside the door to the jail rocking on its hinges. In the short time since their first meeting Ezra had learned a lot about Wilmington, from the sporting girls, the man was a firm favorite and the one thing they had said was that he was honest, wouldn’t take a dime off them for protection, but would take on any man that hurt them. Ezra looked back at the jail, and then headed straight for it, only to have his arm caught he spun round to find Julian stood there.

“You don’t walk out on me Ezra,” he snarled.

“And you Mr. Parker do not own me.” Ezra kept his voice low, and he pulled his arm, Julian refused to let go and the next thing Julian knew he was looking up at Ezra Standish; the gambler straightened the cuff of his shirt and tugged the jacket sleeve back into place. “Mr. Parker you are no gentleman and your place at my table tonight is canceled.” All Parker could do was watch Ezra walk away, the anger in Julian was building, who the hell was Ezra Standish a nothing to think he could walk out on him.

Getting to his feet he growled at Mr. Falkner’s a shop owner, “What the fuck are you looking at.” He glared at the people that now stood looking at him, and pushed past them to head towards his home. Standish had embarrassed him in public, and that he wouldn’t let stand. The other gambler had known his place until he tried to leave him, Alfonso had learned and so would Standish, that the only person that could walk out was Julian Parker.  He would make Ezra Standish rue the day he walked out on him.  

0-0-0-0-0

Buck Wilmington turned to face Standish, as he heard footsteps come up behind him. “You want something Standish.”

“I wanted to check up on Mr. Tanner, there was a small mistake made on his part he thought I was wanted.”

“Tanner don’t make mistakes, he’s a professional, if he said you’re wanted I personally would look for your poster Standish.” Buck put in levelly.

“That is beside the point; Mr. Tanner was injured when the Sheriff facilitated my release from Mr. Tanner. “

“And you care Mr. Standish?” Buck asked.

Ezra shook his head, and then swore under his breath, “Mr. Tanner was doing his jobs nothing more, I would have gotten away from him, I feel perhaps wrongly, that there was something more personal in the Sheriff intervention and that concerns me. I was a reason for someone else’s purpose.”

“So did you kill someone?”

“Heaven forbid Deputy Wilmington, I have protected myself, but I have not murdered, the only willful killings I have done have been with a pack of cards.  It was a small matter of an understanding at Fort Laramie, the judge was taking too long to get to the Fort for the case, and I had big stakes poker game pending elsewhere. It was merely an oversight on my part not to return.” Ezra paused “I have a feeling you know the other half of this problem,” Ezra cocked his head slightly to one side and met Buck’s gaze levelly

“Yeah, Billy didn’t want Tanner to leave town, and with you in tow he was about to do that. Must have paid Frankie the livery hand to tell him if Tanner was making plans to leave.”

“What did he do to this Billy?” Ezra asked.

“Billy as in Sheriff Billy Monroe Tanner brought  in a punk kid over the back of his horse, shot him clear out of the saddle, the boy was running with a bad crowd, killed a bank teller and raped and killed a hostage woman cashier after they all had a go at her. Billy. Sheriff Monroe he knew the boy’s father in the war, and had been waiting for a chance to get hold of Tanner, him jumping you gave Monroe what he wanted.”

“Mr. Tanner behind bars, I had hoped they had just showed him the errors of his way.” Ezra put in, and then swore under his breath again. “We have to get him out of there.”

For a long minute Buck just looked at him, as he registered the concern in the gambler’s voice, “Deputy Wilmington, we are having this discussion for a reason.” Ezra said.

“I am on duty tonight, if you get the horses, I can get Tanner out of there.”

“Can I ask the same question Deputy Wilmington why? you don’t know Mr. Tanner and your voice tells me that you dislike his profession and possibly him?”

Buck shifted slightly his usually jovial face serious, “that’s personal, Standish. But you better believe me that if anything happens to Tanner, what happened at Pickett’s Charge is going to be a skirmish compared to the hell that’s going to coming to Clarkesville.”

“Hell Mr. Wilmington?”

“Hell, Standish riding a black horse.” Buck started walking and Ezra fell into step.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Vin came round on his stomach, pain was knifing through his head he tried to lift it off the mattress, he just managed to pull himself to the edge as he emptied his stomach onto the floor, and blacked out again, his last conscious through was of Buck Wilmington, the big man holding him down and slamming his head into the floor.

0-0-0-0-0

Evening

Ezra was playing cards, he looked up and saw Julian Parker take a seat opposite him and make a play at opening his wallet and taking out a sheaf of notes. The game of chance took its twists and turns, Julian was losing heavily and drinking to match. So when Ezra finally called it a night it was with at least $80 of Julian’s money, all through the hands of poker  Ezra had kept the verbal sparring with Julian muted giving him a clear warning he was not welcome.

Buck took over the watch at 9.00 pm, bringing a tray of food across for Tanner, when he opened the door to the cells he swore, at the rank smell of vomit, Tanner hadn’t moved since he had left him earlier. Quickly he unlocked the door to the cell, and grimacing as he leaned over the bounty hunter; he reached and pressed his fingers against Vin’s throat. The pulse was sluggish but steady, he carefully peel up one of his eyelids and saw the way the pupils dilated. The tracker had concussion he had seen enough of it over the years when he was breaking horses to know what was wrong.  Making sure that Vin Tanner was resting easily, he went out got a bucket of sawdust and threw it over the pools of vomit, then locked the cell again and waited. He had agreed with Standish for the gambler to come at midnight.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Ezra was unlocking the door to his room when he heard a footfall behind him, he turned round just as the body ploughed into him, and slamming him back against the wall his head hit the door hard. Julian was all over him, Ezra’s knee came up hard into his attacker’s groin and Julian gave a muffled cry of pain as he doubled over, and collapsed to the floor. Ezra knelt by him, “keep your hands to yourself Julian, or next time I’ll hand you your bollocks on a plate.”

Julian was pulling himself upright his hands still clutching himself when Ezra came out of the room his saddle bags thrown over his shoulder. “I’ll destroy you Standish, you wait and see.”

But Ezra wasn’t listening he had other things to do. Thirty minutes later and one arm that had narrowly missed being amputated by that devil spawn of a horse of Vin Tanner’s, at least Wilmington’s horse had been sweet natured when he finally managed to wake the beast up. Buck came out the back of the jail a limp unresponsive body thrown over his shoulder. He boosted Vin Tanner in front of Ezra, “concussion, no way he’s sitting a horse on his own.”

Ezra found himself with Tanner’s lean body pressed against him, his nose wrinkled at the stench, then he tightened his grip and once Buck was mounted kick Knave into a gallop, with Buck matching his horse stride for stride.

Only once well clear of the town did Buck pull his horse to a halt, “you take good care of him Standish, he’s going to be out of it for a while, needs to rest. Suggest you take the northern trail, when Monroe comes looking he’s going to think you went south heading for the border.”

“Aren’t you taking him Mr. Wilmington?”

Buck threw up his hand, “don’t ask Standish, you got him, he’s yours, good luck.” Then Buck was gone, heading off into the night.

For a long minute Ezra just looked at his retreating back. “Well Mr. Tanner it seems that there is just the two of us, and if we are to remain two the first thing I am going to do is wash this stench off you.”

He leaned into Vin as he heard a low moan, “I am pleased that you agree.”

0-0-0-0-0

The next morning.

Julian’s anger was burning cold, he walked into the printer’s and slapped a folded piece of paper down, when Mr. Carter went to take it, and Julian’s hand came down and pulled it into place. “I want these printed, and then you forget, if you tell anyone, I will have your mortgage revoked and your business destroyed and your family thrown out of your house understand me.”

Mr. Carter nodded, he had known Julian Parker all his life, and he was a vindictive bastard, with his father the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. “Of course Mr. Parker.”

Only then did Julian removed his hand, he watched as the printer read the wording of the wanted poster, and blanched.

“How many Mr. Parker.”

“10, Mr. Carter, I think I should give Mr. Standish a fighting chance don’t you.”

Carter didn’t answer he just nodded, “Mr. Parker that will be $3 for the printing.”

“Really.” There was coldness to that one word, and Mr. Carter quickly amended “no cost, public interest of course.”

“Of Course.”  Julian added and then left with a smirk. He didn’t have to chase Standish; this private wanted poster with its $350 bounty would bring the man back to him.

0-0-0-0-0

Once he was content that he was further enough away from the town for Monroe to have given up his search, Ezra found a shaded place near some water laid out his bed roll and then eased Vin Tanner down. The man was groggy but at least he was more awake then before, the worry that Ezra had been feeling, began to fade. The hotter the day had become the more rank Tanner had begun to smell; he laid him onto the blanket under the shade, and then unwrapped Tanners blanket and quickly stripped the tracker off. For a moment he sat back on his heels and looked down at the lithe body that he had laid bare. There was not one bit of fat on the lean toned body, but he was surprised how saddened he was to see the scars on Tanner’s body, the tracker had lived a hard life. His eyes dropped from his face, down to his cock that was nestled in brown curls, there was nothing of the man that wasn’t fine, and Ezra felt the breath catch in his mouth. It was with a shaking hand that he laid the blanket over him as he caught the small shudder that ran through the injured man. Gently he brushed the long hair from Vin’s face so that he could examine the head wound, carefully he felt round his head, there was one blow to the back of the head, there was a cut to it but the blood had dried, then there was a bruise on the side of his temple, two head injured.

Quickly Ezra made a fire and began to boil water in the coffee pot that Tanner, had in his saddle bag, once it was boiled he used some water to cool it off slightly and then began to wash Vin’s face, removing the dirt and blood. For a moment he hesitated and then began to work his way down the lean body, cleaning the stench off his body. Until finally reluctantly he covered the tracker back up against, then took his clothes to the water and washed them leaving them out on the bank to dry as he dug some clean clothes from the tracker’s saddle bags, clean they might have been but old and threadbare.  

The day worn on slowly, Vin was coming out of it, and finally when Ezra looked up he saw blue eyes watching him warily, “Welcome back to the land of the living Mr. Tanner, I would.” Ezra broke off quickly as Vin tried to sit up only to groan his hands going to his head, as he rolled on his side and dry retched.

Ezra was by his side in a heartbeat, catching hold of his wrists, he felt the tracker tense. “Easy Mr. Tanner, I mean you no harm; you have hurt your head, and its best that you rest and don’t try to move too quickly.” Vin relaxed slowly in his hold, and Ezra released his hands, and then reached for a canteen, he eased Vin up so that he was resting against his chest as he helped the bounty hunter to drink, even as he cautioned “take small sips.”

“Where?”

“Away from Clarkesville.”

“Why?” The voice was so soft Ezra had to lean close to hear him.

“Sheriff Monroe had designs on you that were not lawful.” When he saw the puzzled look and the pain filled frown he added “Monroe wanted you because of a kid you brought in, seems that he was a friend of the boy’s father.” But Vin’s eyes had already closed, Ezra started to move away when he realized that Vin was holding onto his jacket, and had turned into his shoulder. A warm feeling of being needed ran through Ezra, and lightly he petted Vin’s shoulder, and tightened his grip on bounty hunter, what made him press a chaste kiss to the top of the man’s head he didn’t know but it just felt so right. Ezra removed the Remington from his holster and laid it by his side near his hand, if Monroe or anyone comes, they would have to go through him to get to Tanner.

0-0-0-0-0

Three days it had taken for Vin to recover, they had moved slowly and rested they had enough food and Ezra took the time to get to know the bounty hunter. Vin Tanner was on the quiet side and left to himself didn’t say more than three words a day, but it paid to listen when he did.

Ezra had been careful not to show his feeling for  Vin, all the times that he had had to help him to his feet when the headaches and nausea had meant that the bounty hunter was barely able to put one foot in front of the other, supporting that lean body against him, Ezra had been kept his touch impersonal. Until the night when Vin had  collapse against him, his hand had brushed the front of Ezra’s pants there had been a sudden silence, and Ezra had seen those blue eyes open slightly wider, and then a smile a ancient and as sexy as sin had graced the trackers beautiful face. Ezra had searched his eyes and then leaned in and for the first time claimed Vin’s mouth in kiss. But had caught Vin’s hand, and brought it up and pressed a kiss to the palm. “No now Mr. Tanner, later when you’re feeling better, and our first time will be a proper bed not out here under the stars.”

When he saw the puzzlement and hurt in those expressive eyes, it took all of Ezra’s will power not to take the man there and then, but Vin was still not well enough, no matter how willing his body was, and when he finally took this man, as his lover he wanted it to be special, as special as the man himself. Instead he gently brought Vin into an embrace and kissed him soundly, and then eased him down onto the blankets, and pulled him into his arms, pressing a kiss to his forehead as he whispered. “I promise you Mr. Tanner it will be worth the wait.”

Two days later

Ezra was determined to show Vin that he wanted him, not just in his bed but in his life, on arriving in town Ezra had used his money to rent a room, two men sharing was not unusual hell in some places you could find yourself bunking down with a complete stranger. Vin had looked round the room; and out of the window getting his bearings, then tested the bed with his hand.

“Something wrong Mr. Tanner.” Ezra asked as he laid his saddle bags down onto the floor.

Vin looked up, “Ez you’re going to have your cock up my ass, you think you can call me Vin.”

Ezra swallowed hard, “I am sure that I can try Mr. err Vin.”

“What try a little harder,” Vin said arching an eyebrow as he eyes drifted down Ezra’s body.

“I understand the sentiment Vin,” Ezra returned the smile, the gambler turned to undo his saddle bags when he turned back he saw Vin stripping removing his gun and hat in a quick business way.

“Vin…. What’s the hurry, we have all night.”

“Said you wanted to fuck.” There was hurt and puzzlement in Vin’s eyes.

“Yes of course” Ezra came closer when he reached out towards Vin the hunter pulled back, Ezra took a steadying breath as he silently asked the question to himself what they have done to you that you expect to be hurt instead of loved.

Ezra made himself move slower reminding himself that Vin was a half wild creature that possibly had never really known a soft loving touch, carefully he leaned into him, and kissed him at the same time as he pushed Vin’s hat back so that it hung on the stamped strap and allowed him to bury his hand into the long hair. He kissed Vin, pleased when he felt the bounty hunters arms go round him. But then Vin broke the kiss and stepped back quickly.

“Don’t need kissing, ain’t no woman Ez.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Oh I know that Mr. Tanner… err Vin.” Ez paused “but did you like it.”

“Yeah, it was nice.” Ezra smiled and moved close and kissed him again, this time finding Vin melting into the kiss.”

Moving Vin back slowly until his knees touched the back of his bed, and pushed him down, before sinking down to knee in front of him. Vin cocked his head to one side and Ezra had to fight the impulse to tell him how endearing he found it. Realizing that Vin might take it the wrong way, and he certainly didn’t want to distract him not now.

“What’s the matter Vin.”

“Never fucked on a bed before.” Ezra gave his knee a gentle squeeze, and the bounty hunter continued. “Fucked against a stable wall and out on the trail, and when I lived with the Indians. Even got took once in a bath house, didn’t want that. But no one ever thought I’s was good enough for a bed.”

Ezra knew his love life had gone to hell with Julian Parker, but compared to this man he had been lucky he had at least had the illusion of being loved.

“Well I think it’s time to show you how you can be loved.” Then more forcefully he added “Should be loved.”  As he spoke he reached out and pushed the braces off Vin’s shoulders, then bending drew off the hunter’s boots and socks, then leaned up and kissed him again, as he began to unbutton Vin’s shirt, and then a second shirt, finally stripping them off. Ezra kissed and nipped each piece of Vin’s skin that was exposed, and then he began to undo the hunter’s flies, and drew the pants off the long legs, then sat back and admired him, the lean body that would soon be his.

Ezra pressed Vin back on the bed and moaned as he felt a hand cupping him through his pants, and Ezra froze, remembering suddenly being naked with Julian when he had been taken, as the other man his so called lover had remained dressed. To show his domination of him, Ezra vowed would never make that mistake with Vin.

Easing back Ezra put a hand to Vin’s chest when he would have sat up, “No Vin”, and quickly he stripped out of his clothes letting them fall on the floor in his hurry, and then eased seen to lay on top of his soon to be lover, reveling on the feel of skin against skin, as he captures Vin mouth in a searing kiss. Together they began to move against each other, the sweet sensation building between them as the ground against each other, until Vin cried out his head thrown back as Ezra had latched onto one of his nipple tonguing it triggering the hunter’s release, and in turn Ezra followed him to climax feeling that firm body writhing under him.  

Ezra rolled onto his side and pulled Vin into his arms, gently calming him with his touch, as he whispered breathless “That Mr. Tanner was mealy the beginning.”

“Said not to call me Mister.” Vin said his voice a rasping whisper.

“I haven’t mounted you yet Mr. Tanner” Ezra laughed softly and nipped at his ear, “remember what you said, the best is yet to come.” Even as he said he remembered Julian, how the man had never asked him, just mounted him as if it was his duty to offer his ass up to Parker. Was he doing the same to Vin?

Slowly as they calmed Ezra began to worship Vin’s body until the Texan was moving under him, his body begging for his touch. Softly he asked “Vin can I take you, if you.”

“Sure pick the wrong time to ask.” Vin said as he pressed his body arching up so that he could make as much contact with Ezra as he could.

“I have to know it’s what you want.”

“Hell you have to be serious called me Vin.” there was a lightness in that rasping drawl that made Ezra more hot and bothered than he had ever felt  before. “Yes fuck yes take me.” Vin almost snarled as Ezra waited for his answer.

“Your wish is my command.” Ezra said as he reached for the tin of grease near the bed and prepared him carefully, until Vin was moving wantonly onto his fingers, only then did Ezra whisper that he was ready. When Vin tried to turn on his belly he caught his arm, and tugged him onto his back. Vin opened his mouth to protest, Ezra beat him to it, “I want to see your face when you come.”

“Never done that before.” Vin said hesitantly.

“Then Mr. Tanner you have never been loved.” Even as he said it Ezra’s heart broke for his lover, that one cared was a sign that Vin had never truly been loved his other couplings had been quick and sometimes brutal fucks just to satisfy an itch, now he was going to make sure that Vin knew different.

Ezra held himself back, this was for Vin, he returned to kissing and stroking his lover, even as he coaxed his knees up towards his chest, and then pressed Vin’s feet flat on the bed, and his knees splayed so that he could kneel between them. Reaching down he claimed Vin’s lips in a long lingering kiss before he moved into Vin beaching his center, even prepared so well he felt tight and Ezra took is carefully, the hot velvet channel sheathed him, seeming to draw him in. All the time he watched Vin’s face reading it stopping when he saw pain stroking Vin’s belly and his flanks until the pain faded and he could move deeper, until finally he rested buried to the root in his lover. Only then he began to move, slowly steady thrusts, searching for the small nub, when he hit it, Vin bucked under him, head thrown back  again as he cried out even as he tried to stop his cry.

“Like to hear you Vin.” 

“Then fucking move.” Vin snarled as he thrust up with his hips and impaled himself deeper.

“As you wish Vin.”

“Vin” the hunter said a grin on his face “not Mr. Tanner.”

“I fear that is now redundant.” Ezra somehow managed to gasp as Vin flexed his inner muscles, and nearly caused the gambler to come. With a  groan Ezra began to move, and all other thoughts were forgotten as the two men were lost in the intense sensation of being loved, the only noise was the soft moans and the slap of flesh on  flesh, then cries of completion as they called each other’s names as they came.

Ezra withdrew as Vin was still riding on the afterglow of coming he heard him give a grunt of pain as he came out of him, quickly he checked his lover and only when he saw no blood did he relax. Gentlemen never hurt his lover and the thought of hurting Vin made him feel sick, he pulled Vin into his arms pleased beyond belief as Vin nestled close to him, burying his face under his chin as his arms and legs intertwined with him.  Ezra was content for the first time in his life, he had found something he thought he would never have, a true lover, he wanted Vin not only in his bed but in his life.  

Clarkesville

Three days later

Monroe was still angry, first Tanner had been broken out of jail by that bastard Buck Wilmington and now death had just ridden into town, there was no mistaking the all black clothing of Chris Larabee. The blond killer was feared for a very good reason, he was the fastest with a gun in the territory, and his temper was known to be volatile. Which made him one mean son of a bitch, and you didn’t want to cross him unless you had a death wish.

Jack Carpenter was propping up the bar, in one hand he had his mug of  beer in the other the battered harmonica they had taken off Tanner, he tapped on the counter to get the attention of the bar keep.

The sudden quietness of the bar brought his attention to Chris Larabee, the gun man took a place at the end of the bar his back against the wall, and ordered a bottle of whiskey, and a glass, and he splashed a good measure into the glass and knocked it back. It was then Jack saw Matt, blanch, as Larabee started towards them his hand resting near the butt of his gun. The man in black loomed over them, his left hand came down hard pinning Jack’s to the bar top, and then pulled the harmonica out from under it.

“That’s mine.” Jack started to say then the words died in his throat as he saw the soulless green eyes bore into him.

“Where did you get it, and don’t lie.” Chris’s hand flexed on his gun.

“Off some breed.” Jack stated to say then reeled back against the bar as he was back handed.

“He ain’t no breed,” Chris said his tone chilling, “he still alive.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jack said quickly, “Matt tell him that Tanner is alive, he got rescued by Buck and some butt fucking gambler.”

“Who”. The gun was suddenly in his face before he even registered it being drawn, the hammer was pulled back and held by Larabee’s thumb if he let the hammer drop, his brains would be splashed across the counter.

“Buck Wilmington he was a deputy here, and the gambler Ezra Standish, they got him out of jail.”

The hammer of the gun was lowered slowly, and the gun pin wheeled and slapped back into Larabee’s holster.

“You know where they were going.”

“No no, we think they headed to Four Corners.”

Larabee turned on his heels picked up the whiskey bottle, jerked at thumb the two men down the counter, “there paying.” He pocked the harmonica and the whiskey and walked out of the saloon, the customers keeping well clear of him.  The bar keep peered over the bar, and winkled his nose, at the stench of urine, Jack had pissed himself, and now sank down to sit on the floor as he legs finally gave way, in the distance he heard a the thunder of a horse leaving town at the gallop, he could only pray it was Larabee.

0-0-0-0-0

Jack Carpenter had no idea how lucky he was, Chris Larabee was hunting for the one reason in his life to keep living for, a certain young, tangled haired lean Texan, not yet his lover, but Chris regarded that only as a minor oversight on Vin Tanner’s part. Soon he would claim Vin and god help anyone that got in his way. If Vin had died in that town, then death would have followed swiftly. Chris turned his horse towards Four Corners, he would have words with Buck first and then together they would hunt for Vin and return him to his side where he belonged.  He was a possessive bastard Chris knew that and readily acknowledged it, but it was the only way to keep his soon to be lover safe, he would not lose him like he lost Sarah and his son. Chris dug his spurs in and his horse increased its long mile eating stride, now he was this close he wouldn’t lose him again.

The end.


	2. The Hunter becomes the Hunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tascosa a small town but one that would change Vin Tanner from a Hunter to Prey, when hes accused of murder.   
> Ezra relationship with Julian Parker brings complications and a guardian in black makes his presence known.

 

Ezra Standish laid in bed happy and contented. That night he had, for the first time, made love to Vin Tanner, the bounty hunter, that he had helped rescue from jail in Clarkesville where a sheriff was about to exact his own personal justice on him. During the last few days he had nursed Vin through a severe concussion, once Vin was able to move he had brought him to this town to give him a chance to recover in some sort of comfort. His feelings for Vin had been strong, but he was unsure of how Vin felt until tonight when they had made love, what had saddened Ezra was Vin didn’t know the difference between fucking and making love, he didn’t expect any foreplay just a quick, rough fuck. He had never made love in a bed until that night, having most of his encounters  braced against the wall of a livery stable or in dark alleys, groans, grunts, and thrusting all over in a matter of minutes, then quickly parting before being discovered.  Ezra had vowed then and there to show his lover there was a difference, now Ezra lay looking towards the window, the darkness was giving away to light, as dawn fast approached. Looking down at Vin who was curled up against him one strong thigh and an arm thrown over him, his hand splayed over his belly, Vin’s face pressed against his chest his breath soft against his skin. Lightly Ezra stroked the long tangled hair, easing his fingers through it, his hand moving down over Vin’s shoulders, his lover was tanned all over, which made Ezra smile but at the same time it brought pictures of a naked sun  kissed Vin out in the mountains as wild and as free as the county  he travelled, and Ezra found himself having to move slightly as his body began to react to the twin sensation of his imagination and the warm naked body plastered against him. Ezra looked up to the heavens as his movement had caused Vin’s hand to slide from his stomach down over his cock, and Ezra had to bite his lip to avoid groaning at the touch and the memory of what those talented hands had done to him. 

But his touches had brought Vin awake, not used to being this close, Vin reacted the only way he knew and that was defensively, pushing Ezra away from him as he grabbed for the mare’s leg that was by the side of the bed. 

Ezra tumbling from the bed, to land on the floor with a thud. “Mr. Tanner.” Ezra said indigently as he lay sprawled on his back on the floor.

There was a pause and Vin rolled over on the bed onto his stomach and looked down at him a grin on his face, “Hell Ez, should know better than wake me up like that.”

“I will make a note of that for the future Mr. Tanner,” Ezra drawled as he slowly got to his knees, and smiled as he saw the appreciative look that Vin was giving him as those blue eyes swept down his body and fixed on his hard cock. Ezra pushed up from his kneeling position and caught Vin rolling him onto his back, and looming over him. Vin’s hand caught him by the back of his neck and pulled his head down for a long lingering kiss that ended in a gasp for Ezra as a hand fisted his cock, and a calloused thumb rubbed over the sensitive head. It was all the diversion that Vin needed to flip the gambler onto his back, and straddled his thighs, pinning Ezra to the mattress. The look in Vin’s eyes made Ezra’s breath catch, there was such need, such love……. Ezra chilled himself to remember that it was too early for that, he might want it but did Vin or was he just a convenient lover, also there was still the matter of the bounty on his head. Now in town would Vin turn on him as Julian had done and they had shared at lot more than one night together. Then Vin swooped down for another kiss and all his worries were forgotten for the moment.

0-0-0-0-0-0

On the trail to Tascosa

Ezra Standish was riding in silence as he followed his lover, Vin Tanner, as he picked his way through the countryside, forging a trail for them. It had been in Purgatory a few days ago that he had first see the wanted poster, that Julian Parker a former lover, had put out on him for sodomy, prostitution, he knew what would happen to him if he was caught, and taken in for those “crimes.”  Ezra tried to suppress the shudder that ran through him, the reward on the privately commission poster was for $350, and there was a lot of men out there that would come after him for that money,and some just for the hell of it  because of the crimes. Julian was a possessive man, and had been unable to accept that a gambler would just walk away from the money he offered, but Ezra didn’t want money, he wanted a man that would stand by him and would love him.  He had got it so  wrong in his relationship with Julian, but with Vin  Tanner, a man so very different he had found it so right.

Together they had turned their horses and headed into Texas, along the way Vin had gotten on the trail of a cold blooded butcher called Eli Joe, it was then they had parted company agreeing to meet  in a few days time in Tascosa.   

0-0-0-0-0

Tascosa

Ezra Standish was in the saloon, the men in front of him posed no threat and were easy marks he would walk away later that night with most of their money, but Ezra would never take all of it. Strip a man of all his money and he might come back after you, but let him go with a few bucks in his pocket enough for a drink and he might not try to blow your head off. A simple rule but one that had kept Ezra out of stupid bloody disputes.

It was early evening when all hell had suddenly broken loose, a man had come running in yelling that some bounty hunter had brought in Jess Kincaid’s body trying to pass it off as Eli Joe’s and claim a $200 bounty. The men rushed out, and Ezra followed, he had parted company with his lover Vin Tanner just outside of Tascosa, Vin had been on the tracks of Eli Joe a particular vicious killer and was sure that he could bring the man in. Ezra cursed under his breath, something had gone wrong and he needed to know what that was, he had carefully read the poster to Vin, and he knew his lover wouldn’t have jumped the gun. For all his reputation of bringing men back dead over the back of their horses, Ezra had found that Vin matched lethal force to lethal force only when he had too. Something was very wrong here. When Ezra pushed his way out of the saloon and onto the boardwalk, Vin was down on the ground and the sheriff and a deputy was dragging him into the jail, the way his lover hung between the men he was unconscious, and blood coated the side of his face. As much as he wanted to run to Vin, Ezra held himself back, he would do Vin no good if he got dragged into the trouble, he needed to keep free and work the   angles so that he could get him out of jail.

The men returned to the saloon, their talk all about the bounty hunter, how he must have shot down the farmer, the atmosphere was ugly, the more the men drank the worse it became. Muttered comments about a murdering renegade, fucking bounty killer, got worse, and Ezra knew it was only a matter of time before then started to talk of lynching.  He threw his cards and with a few parting words to the other players left the saloon. The street was deathly silent considering it was a Saturday night; it was as if the town was turning its back on what was going to happen next.  Using the back of the houses, Ezra crossed to the livery stable, Diablo was in one of the stalls, the horse’s ears went back as he approached, then shot forward again, as it recognized his scent as he said softly “now to get your master out of jail, this is really a habit he must learn to break.” Reaching out a hand he allowed the horse to nuzzle at his hand, before he patted it on the neck and began to saddle it up, he knotted the reins, and then went to Knave; he had his horse saddled and then led the two of them out.

The dark shadow detached its self from near the livery stable, and followed Ezra, once the gambler stopped and turned round his hand dropping down to rest on the Remington, before with a shudder he continued working his way round to the rear of the jail. Leaving the horses tethered  he made his way to the one barred window, carefully he pulled himself up so that he  could look in, Vin was on the bed, his hat pulled down over his eyes, the door between the cells and the office was closed, “Vin”.

The bounty hunter tipped his hat from his eyes, and looked up, he was on his feet in a second standing on the bed, and Ezra only had time to pass the derringer to him before he had to drop back down. Taking another  breath, Ezra hauled himself back up again quickly whispering his plan, and then with one last look at this lover dropped back down to the ground again. Suddenly he spun round his hand dropping to his gun, he froze like that his eye trying to penetrate the darkness, but he could see nothing, with a huff of breath Ezra forced himself to calm.

Unknown to Ezra his black clad guardian angel lowered a limp body to the ground, the man had been about to come up on the gambler, and that he couldn’t allow that, the guardian had know that Vin and the gambler were traveling together. That the man was risking his life to free Vin told of a connection between the two men. For that reason and that reason only he was backing his play, once the Texan was free the gambler would find out that he was not the only one who  claim  the companionship of the wild free spirited bounty hunter.

Ezra couldn’t shake the feeling he was getting, it was like the time when he had been cornered in a saloon, without a way out, and a Mexican bandit wanting to carve his heart out of him. That feeling of being stalked was almost a physical presence; he looked round once more and then made his way round the side of the jail. From out front of the jail he could hear the mob getting loud, between the buildings he could see men with torches, the sheriff’s voice yelling at them to go home, to allow justice to be done.

It was then there was another yell this one full of fear as the cry of FIRE was screamed out and flames began to light up the sky of the livery stable, then there was the pounding of horses hooves as the horses in a panic tore down the street.  The mob dropped their torches and began to run towards the fire, the deputies followed, in this dry arid land; fire could soon engulf a town.  Thinking quickly on his feet Ezra diverted from his plan, and went with the opportunity this gave him, moving fast, he was on Sheriff Lucas before the lawman knew what was happening. Ezra’s clipped him on the side of the head with his gun butt, caught and quickly dragged the unconscious man into the jail before anyone knew what was happening. Grabbing the keys to the cells from the hook he   unlocked the door and Vin was rushing out, time for words of thanks could wait until they were out of the town.  Vin grabbed his weapons within minutes the two of them were running down the side of the jail and on their way out of town.  Chris Larabee stepped out of the darkness, paused and lit one of his habitual black cheroots, dropping the match onto the ground and then walked back to the saloon, ignoring the panicked people rushing by him with buckets. It wasn’t his town it wasn’t his business, Tascosa could burn for all he cared. Tomorrow the Sheriff and the outraged citizens would get up a posse and he would join it, why bother to track Vin when he could allow the posse to do his work for him. If they caught up with his Texan then they would be dead men riding, but until then he would ride with them.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Ezra rode in silence, he looked in concern at Vin, he had been beaten, but seemed to be showing none of the effects of concussion, for that he was grateful, remembering how badly the Texan had been last time, and how scared he had been that Vin had been seriously injured.  Later he would find out what had happened but until then they needed to get as far away of Tascosa as they could. Tomorrow Ezra knew the law, would be hot on their heels.

0-0-0-0-0

Chris Larabee sat in the saloon, the half bottle of whiskey in front of him, the posse would leave at first light the next morning, they had a broken down old buffalo hunter to help them track. A small twitch of the lips touched Chris’s face, if they thought he could track Tanner down then it was wishful thinking on their behalf, but the old coot could get him close enough he could do the rest.  His attention was drawn to a group of four men that came in together, their clothes were dusty, they started round the saloon, demanding answers about Ezra Standish.  The men in the saloon had not reason to lie to them, they just didn’t want to be involved in any trouble, so they kept quiet and it was plain to anyone with half a brain that they were getting more and more pissed off, they paused in front of Chris’s table, his left hand still rested on the table fingers circled round the shot glass, his right hand rested on the butt of his gun.

“You seen him cowboy.” The taller of the men asked.

Chris looked up, “You just call me a cowboy?” there was a chill to his voice that made the people near his table start to edge away.

The tall man swallowed hard, “No insult meant Mister.”  He paused “you seen this man.”

Chris looked at the wanted poster, it had been folded back to just show the sketch of the man they were after, he easily recognized Ezra Standish.

“What’s he wanted for?” Chris took a pull on his whiskey.

“Ain’t no he mister, an ass fucking sodomite, unnatural bastard, lifted the wrong linen, the boy’s pa wanted to string him up personal like.”

“Don’t look like any law poster.” Chris pointed out, his eyes never leaving the men in front of him.

“Boy’s pappy put it out and the money; don’t aim on sharing mister, but….”

“I haven’t seen him.” Chris put in levelly.

The bounty hunters moved onto the next table finally they got confirmation that Standish was in town and soon after that he had left town at the same time as Vin Tanner was broken out of jail.

Chris wasn’t surprised when the bounty hunters joined with them the next morning, if they endangered Vin Tanner they would be bleached bones in the desert, as for Standish the jury was out, he remembered all too clearly the deputy in the saloon at Clarkesville calling him a  _butt fucking gambler_.  Vin was one of the most deadly men he had ever men, but skittish, not liking to be touched and if Ezra….  Chris left that thought hanging; he had been patient with Vin moving slowly until he didn’t shy away from him when he laid a hand on his shoulder. Chris was all too aware that he wanted more; his love for the Texan bounty hunter had knocked him back on his heels. He was the only light in his dark world, and if that meant cutting a blood swath through the Texas Panhandle he would do it.

The posse had gotten on Tanner and Standish’s trail at first light, and the old coot actually seemed good at what he was doing, they rode through most of the day and into the evening until they had to halt or risk losing the tracks. Chris tugged a half empty bottle from his saddle bag and went over to sit by the old man, and offered him a drink.  Old Zeke took a pull on the harsh drink and smiled in appreciation, “that some fine sipping whiskey mister.”Seeing a nod he took another drink.

“What you think about the tracks.”

Old Zeke leaned back against his saddle he was using as a back rest, “Tanner’s a tracker himself, and lived with the Comanche, this is too easy mister, way too easy.”

“Meaning?” Chris took a pull at the whiskey and handed it back.

“Meaning, the son of a bitch is going to come after us, he crossed his trail twice, he wants to be followed, and you mark my word.” Old Zeke took another pull of the bottle, and then when Chris stood up offered him the bottle back. Chris shook his head, let the old man have it, he had told him what he wanted to know, Vin wasn’t that far away, and he wasn’t running, that  long haired Texan was out there waiting.

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Ezra had been puzzled why they weren’t running for the hills, finally asked, “Mr. Tanner, I would have thought that the idea is to get as far away as possible from the good people of Tascosa given their interest in hanging you.”

“Posse like that is full of hate, they’re not going to let go easy, gonna have to give them a reason.”

Vin pulled his Winchester from the sheath, and leaving Ezra crawled out  through the long grass so that he could see the posse camped out below him, carefully he sighted ,moving from one person to the next finding his target. A smile twitched his lips as he saw Chris Larabee. He squeezed the trigger and the rifle kicked against his shoulder, Larabee reacted to the gun fire by flinging himself face down in the dirt his gun in his hand. One of the deputies stood behind him pitched face down in the dirt hand clutched to his shoulder screaming like a stuck pig; there was a ragged returns of fire none coming close. Vin edged back, and walked past Ezra and returned his rifle to the sheath.

“Why him Mister Tanner?”

“Bastard beat on me when I was in the prison cell, when they had me shackled  like some mangy cur, wanted me to admit to killing that farmer, didn’t do it, couldn’t make me say I’s did.”  Seeing the look on Ezra’s face he added, “got to wing one of them else they won’t get skittish when I start working on the rest of them, he seemed a good a target as any.”

Vin pulled himself onto his horse with a wince, and then touched his heels to its side, leaving Ezra stood there.  Concern colored the gamblers face, as he mounted he needed to get a look at Vin, and check him for injuries it would be difficult the man had a standard answer of “I’s fine” whenever he asked about his health. But if that man had got his hands on Vin in the cell, there was a lot of damage that could be done to him.  This was one time that his lover was going to do what he was told.

0-0-0-0-0

Chris pushed himself up from the ground and then looked behind him, at the  deputy surrounded now by the other members of the posse, poking and prodding him, Chris muttered under his breath. Tanner was a lot closer than even he had thought.

0-0-0-0-0-0

One day later and the posse was getting jumpy as Tanner set to work on them, with well placed bullets that had their horses jumping and bucking as they snapped round their hooves like hornets . Slowly members of the posse were falling back away from the body of the posse and then making off towards town as fast as they could, keen to get away from Tanner’s rifle, as they told each other in hushed whispers, it was only a matter of time before he turned the ground red with their blood.

 

Chris nightly spoke to the old man, Old Zeke leaned into Chris and confided in him that he might be good but Tanner was better  then he added   “Tanner will be getting ready to bolt soon, show us a clean pair of heels. Now that he’s got us cut down.”

The posse turned guns at the ready as they heard the drum of horse’s hooves; it was a new band of men, they were cowboys fresh off the trail and waving a wanted poster of Tanner, emblazed across it was the $500 reward.

Vin swore under his breath as he watched them through his telescope, “going to have to split up Ez, they want me, so you get the hell out of here and I’ll meet up with you at Twin Boulder.”

“Mr. Tanner.”

“No argument Ez, winds changed we got to change with it.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

Chris studied the newcomers, and his gaze settled on a young man, his city suit and hat marked him out as a tenderfoot, green as grass, even if he did wear two guns. The kid would think that he was fast, but they always did until they came up against someone, and then they usually died. He saw the way the kid kept looking at him, Chris deliberately turned on him, and saw the way that the kid backed off, and dropping his eyes, the twitch of a smile that Chris gave him was ice cold as the grave.

It was early morning at the time when the guards were at their most vulnerable, and the men sleeping their deepest. The night was split by a rebel yell that sent the men reeling awake in terror. Chris rolled up onto his knees just managing to knock into one of the others who were trying to draw a bead on Vin Tanner as he rode through the camp at a  gallop, firing up in the air. Then the Texan was gone, the posse’s horses scattered, Old Zeke hobbled over to Chris, “damn didn’t expect to ever hear that again,” the kid was with him, his guns in his hand unfired.

“what was that, never heard it before, it was well wow.”

Chris suppressed a shudder, “hear it during the war, that one’s got the Comanche war cry  mixed in with it.”

Old Zeke nodded and to the kid explained “could always tell who you faced by the rebel yell. Damn it didn’t think I would ever feel that again, you feel it boy, a kinda corkscrewing sensation that goes up your spine when you heard it. “The kid nodded, Old Zeke added “if a man ever tells you that it didn’t scare them, means they never heard it."

Zeke saw the way that the kid was nervously looking round him, “don’t worry son, Tanner’s cutting out now, won’t be able to get our horses until tomorrow, he’ll have a good head start by them. Tell you this, I figure we should leave him be.”

“Give up.” The kid said sounding indigent, “the others they said that.”

“Kid you follow them and you’ll find an early grave won’t he Mr. Larabee.”

“Kid needs to follow his own way.” Chris said.

“Chris Larabee, I thought it was you I read.” The kid gushed, then added “name’s John Daniel Dunne most people call me JD.” He stuck his hand out, but it just hung in the air, as Chris looked from it to his face, and then ignored it and pulled out a cheroot and lit it. 

Blushing JD let his hand drop down, Old Zeke clapped him on the back, and then steered him away from the gunman, he didn’t know why Larabee was with the posse, the man was a loner,  and a fast gun killer, a posse wasn’t his way, but if he was there it was because he had personal business with Tanner or Standish and there was no way the old man was going to get in the way.

It was late morning when they finally managed to get their horses, Chris like Old Zeke and a few of the others had no problem their horses came when they called them, the others well their horses were properly  half way back to Tascosa by then. 

The tracks showed that Tanner was on his own, he had split up with Standish, the bounty hunters with JD in tow and a couple of others headed after the gambler, the cowboys voted to go back to town without horses they faced a long and hard walk back to Tascosa, cowboy boots were made for riding not for hiking over the countryside.  Chris joined the remaining members of the posse with Old Zeke, in going after Tanner.

Chris  rode in silence, he could remember so clearly the first time that he had seen Vin Tanner,

_He had sat outside of the saloon, his hat pulled over his eyes shielding them from the harsh glare of the sun, he was hung over from the night before and at 10.00 am he already had a half bottle of whiskey on the floor near his hand and he was half way through a three day drunk. Periodically he would pick it up, tilt it and take a deep pull and then place it back down again. His mood was dark, and people kept out of his way or they died, since the death of his beloved wife and son, a part of Chris Larabee had perished with them. He had always had a violate  temper, Sarah had tamed it, but now it was out of control, hung over he was as dangerous as a pissed offed diamond back, and to cross him now would be to get a bullet in the head, he would kill as easy as he would drain the whiskey bottle._

_It was then he saw the way the people were stopping to stare, a rider was coming into town, trailing behind him was two horses, bodies lay draped over them, the man leading them was dressed in an old buckskin jacket, and slouched confederate hat.  Chris automatically noted his weapons, instead of a colt he wore a mare’s leg strapped to his thigh, the butt of a Winchester rifle showed from just under his knee, the hat was pulled down and he didn’t get to see his face until he was nearly level with him.  It was then the man looked across at him, and Chris was pinned by a pair of blue eyes, the bounty hunter was young, good looking even if he was wearing a week’s worth of stubble, it was a strong face, and he knew that he was looking at a dangerous man. In that instant they seemed to take the measure of each other, then the bounty hunter turned towards the jail, the sheriff and one of the deputies where already waiting for him.  For that split second when their eyes had met it was as if something had lifted inside of him, and the darkness had receded. Chris turned his attention to the jail, the bounty hunter came out a little later, the sheriff yelled after him from inside the jail, the hunter turned and then just touched the brim of his hat to the man, his smile was one guaranteed to piss the sheriff off. Which  brought out a torrent of abuse, when the sheriff barreled up to the door of the jail, Chris found himself easing forwards his hand resting near his gun, as he saw the sheriff’s hand drop to his gun. But the Sheriff turned on his heels and slammed the door of the jail closed behind him, sending it rocking on its hinges,  the hunter was crossing the street the man nodded to him and then went into the saloon._

_Only then did Chris settle back down in his chair, and take another pull at the whiskey bottle, cradling the bottle in his hand, turning it round and round, finally his mind made up he heaved himself out of the chair and went into the saloon, following the younger man, the hunter was leant against the bar, but it seemed he wasn’t the only one that was after the younger man’s company. Two cowboys fresh off the trail and already well into their drink were either side of him, “lookie here Jeb, real pretty ain’t he, you looking for a real man pretty,” the man laughed. . One on the left half a head taller than the hunter brushed a hand against his shoulder flicking his long hair, “real pretty,” as he pressed up against him._

_The bounty hunter  elbowed  him hard in the gut, his breath came out in a harsh wheeze as he doubled over, at the same time the hunter stamped down  on the other man’s foot, following it up with a hard right to the stomach, turning he caught the first man by the shirt and slammed him head first into the bar, his body sinking down onto the ground narrowly missing going head first into the spittoon._

_The hunter spun round as he caught movement behind him in the mirror, Chris leaned against the bar, his foot coming down hard on the hand of the winded man as he started moving towards his gun as he laid on the floor.  Chris looked down at him, and shook his head, as he released his hand from where he had ground it into the rough wooden floor. Chris’s right hand rested on his gun; his left tapped the counter top, “whiskey” he looked towards the hunter, ignoring the man that scurried away from his feet “Chris Larabee.” But he said it loud enough for the bounty hunter’s attackers to know who he was and that he was back the man’s play. The two men quickly tottered out of the saloon, as the gun man and the hunter watched them go._

_The bounty hunter smiled and nodded his thanks, in that minute Chris’s world tipped on its axel, Chris pushed a shot glass of whiskey over, the hunter took a sip of it, as the gun man poured himself another drink._

_“Vin Tanner.”  It was the first time that he had ever heard the soft rasping Texan accent._

_Chris nodded toward a corner table and Vin shrugged but followed him over all the same. He barely managed to get two words out of the bounty hunter, but it the silence between them wasn’t forced it was as if he had known this long haired Texan all his life._

_Since his wife had been murdered, Chris had lost his interest in women, for a year the only release he had  was  his own right hand, need drove him finally into the arms of whores where he could take what he needed for a few dollars. He had never been interested in men, he had fooled around a little during the war, who didn’t?  It had been a little comfort amidst the fear and death of a bloody civil war._

_But now as he sat looking at this blue eyed hunter he could feel his body reacting to him, he could imagine running his hands through the long brown hair, lying down with that lean body pinned under him and….  Chris  forced himself to break off, who the hell was he kidding,  if he made a move on him Tanner would plant that bowie knife he was carrying deep in his gut._

_It was then Tanner reached across and with a smile that sent the blood singing though Chris’s veins,  took the whiskey bottle from his hand just as  he was about to pour himself another two fingers of rot gut whiskey.  Chris raised an eyebrow, as Vin did something no other man in that room would dare to do, it was then  their hands brushed, and Chris felt a jolt run through him, Tanner’s lips twitched  and his eyes were laughing, the little bastard knew what he was doing to him. Chris sat up right in his chair, well two could play that game, and he caught the bounty hunter’s wrist, and suddenly the bottle hit the top of the table with a clatter as Vin had pulled back like a scolded cat, only Chris’s lightening fast reflexes as he had released Vin’s wrist and grabbed at the bottle had stopped it from spilling. The warmth in Tanner’s smile died and the blue eyes flared with an anger that Chris was at a lost to explain.   Chris kept still, just like he would do with a cornered wild animal, he wanted to give  Vin a way out and not bottle him down, he could see that Vin was near to bolting, but when he made no move, he saw a puzzled look come into those blue eyes, he still remained still. A flood of relief went through him as he saw Vin eased back in his chair as far away from him as possible without leaving the table._

_Keeping eye contact, but making his movement slow, Chris poured a good measure into Tanner’s glass, and then into his own and just waited._

_The bounty hunters breathing slowed and Vin’s hand moved to curl round the shot glass and his eyes never leaving Larabee’s, he picked the glass up and drained it. Putting it back down onto the table he took a deep breath and let it out slowly._

_Chris raised the bottle up again, and indicated the glass with it, but this time Vin shook his head, Chris shrugged and then put it back down, and drained his own glass. His plans for the evening had changed, he was going to suggest going to the barn and letting off a little steam. He still wanted the long haired, blue eyes bounty hunter, but now he would have to take it slow, and he surprised himself in that he didn’t mind, they would take it at Vin’s pace, because after all that Chris was sure he hadn’t been wrong he had seen want in Vin’s eyes earlier, but his reaction  told a different story. Buck Wilmington might argue the point but when it was something he wanted he had all the patience in the world, after all it had taken him a year to convince Sarah to take him as her husband, and he would give Vin as long as it took to convince the young Texan that he really wanted him._

_Vin got to his feet, “for the whiskey I’s thank you,” Vin nodded and then left the saloon, leaving Chris at the table alone. Now all Chris wanted was to follow the bounty hunter out but he had to take his time, he couldn’t be seen following the younger man, so he helped himself to another drink, taking his time to look round the saloon. As soon as his eyes met any of the other men, they looked away, so different than Tanner who had met his gaze levelly, and without fear. Suddenly he was fed up with it, the stink of fear that seemed to permeate the saloon, the gun man got up and pocketed the whiskey bottle and left, moving out onto the  boardwalk making sure not to frame himself in the doorway. He looked down the street, and saw Vin disappearing into the livery stable, so Chris took himself a seat outside, and a slip from his bottle and waited. Tanner would be checking on his horse, then he would head for one of the boarding houses, a god sent opportunity to bump into the hunter again. Time ticked by slowly and Tanner still hasn’t returned,,  Chris took another couple of drinks, still no Tanner, finally given that patience certainly wasn’t one of his virtues Chris made his way down the street in time to see the big man from the saloon earlier come staggering out of the livery and doubling over vomiting his heart out as he clutched at himself and the  second came out his hand bleeding, nose bloody and the front of his pants undone._

_Chris broke into a run, and came crashing through the doors of the livery, Vin turned fast as he entered, his hand fisting round the hilt of his Bowie knife, Chris somehow managed to stay his hand from flashing down to his gun in answer to the threat. “Easy Tanner, don’t mean you any harm.”_

_“Huh,” the hunter said but didn’t relax, Chris could read the younger man’s body language he was tensed and ready to fight, “don’t know what you think Larabee, but I ain’t no whore. No matter what those other bastards thought, don’t lie down with anyone”_

_“Never thought you were.” Chris paused “I don’t know what you think happened in the saloon between us, but whatever it was I didn’t mean to spook you, if I made you think I was after more than just a drink I am sorry.”_

_“The great Chris Larabee is apologizing to me?” Vin said some of the tension seemed melt away from the younger man._

_Chris saw the twitch of the younger man’s lips, “yeah and the sanctified dead are going to rise tomorrow.”  Looking round he saw the bed roll in the stall._

_“You sleeping with your horse?” he raised an eyebrow._

_“Don’t snore as bad as some, I’s know.”_

_Chris didn’t like the idea of Vin sleeping out in the livery, the man he had kneed and the one he  had cut  would have a score to settle because that would be the second time that Vin had humiliated them, out here Vin would be,  vulnerable alone, in his mind’s eye all Chris could see was the young man being beaten and abused. A wave of need to protect this young man swept through Chris, like nothing he had felt since his family was lost. All he knew was that Vin had to be  safe and there was no safer place that he knew of.  “Got me a room in the MacDowell Boarding House.” He saw the way that Vin tensed again and added “just thinking that if you want you can throw your bed roll onto the floor there, be warmer there and you won’t get any uninvited visitors.”_

_“Always a price Larabee, so what’s yours cowboy.” Vin met Chris’s eyes levelly, the green ones burning into his._

_Chris took a deep breath, “God you’re a hard man to convince Tanner, don’t flatter yourself you ain’t got anything I want, your  virtue’s safe with me ,” Chris drawled. Turning Chris walked out hoping and praying that Vin would follow. He stopped in his tracks as he heard the audible “Sure,” from Vin, heavily laced with sarcasm, he allowed himself his first genuine smile for a long time, as he heard the footfalls. Chris didn’t turn round but when he glanced right he saw Vin Tanner stood there his saddle bag thrown over his shoulder, his Winchester in his left hand and without another word the two men fell into step as they headed for the MacDowell Boarding House._

“LARABEE”, his name brought the gun man back to the present with a jolt and he pulled his horse to a halt and he looked round to see the old buffalo hunter riding towards him.

“Yeah Zeke.”

The old man nodded towards what remained of the posse as they pulled ahead of them, “Posse’s down to four of us now, you sure you want to keep going, gonna get bloody, Tanner’s not going to go down easy.” Zeke suddenly swallowed hard, as in that split second he had seen something in Chris Larabee’s eyes and it was as if someone had walked over his grave. Quickly he turned his horse away and gave it a hard kick to get as far away of Larabee as he could, even so he could feel those blue eyes boring into his back, and he shivered, it reinforced his decision to slip away in the dark that night.

0-0-0-0-0

Several miles away further on, heading in the direction of Four Corners, Ezra Standish wasn’t happy. That stubborn mule headed  Texan love of his life had insisted they split up now rather than continue to flee together away from the posse.  Tanner insisted on acting as bait to lure then away from him, and give him a chance to escape on the grounds that he was the one they wanted, and they would leave Ezra alone once he was gone.  It was with a sense of unease that Ezra looked back and saw that some of the men where now on his trail, all he could do was keep going,  and hope to out distance them. He was all too aware that his skill lay in cards he was not a skilled backwoods man, in a situation like that all he could do was keep ahead of them, and trust to the speed and stamina of his horse, and the fact that Vin had said he would find him. If there was one thing he knew about his lover was that he was a man of his word.

0-0-0-0-0-0

The posse

The other men in the posse were giving Chris a wide berth; none of them keen to risk the infamous gun man’s wrath, his reputation was known and feared. Under the tugged down brim of his hat Chris watched them, the sheriff had been among the first one to turn back, with his wounded deputy, using the man as an excuse to desert his posse. Next had been the farmers and store holders, men with grass roots reasons for going back but not wanting to lose face. This left the men more out for money than justice, they had no real ties to the town, and it was the thrill of the chase that had them still riding. With an expert eye Chris took in their weapons, and classed them he knew who would break and run and who would stand their ground.  Soon Vin would turn back again, for one final bid to get the posse off his back, and when he did Chris would be there to back his play if he needed him.

Old Zeke was chewing his lip, he hadn’t survived for as long has he had done, without getting that certain  feeling, which sometimes was the only thing that kept him alive. He pulled his horse to a halt and looked down at the small cairn with a bandana, and a hank of hair. It was an Indian warning go further and you will die. This was Tanner’s final warning, Zeke threw a hand up  signaling the men to stop, but one of the men, snarled at him and barged  past, there was a crack of gunfire and he was sent flying from the saddle. The man hit the ground hard, and rolled onto his side blood seeped through the fingers of the hand he clasped to his shoulder.  Horses skipped sideways trying to unseat their riders as in response to the bullets the other posse members fired back up into the rocks blindly until their guns dry clicked on empty chambers

Chris drew his own gun, and leveled it at the other men, who stared at him in shock, “you know boys you threw a lot of lead there, and you ain’t had a chance to reload.” He made a motion with his gun, “think it time you boys went home before Tanner buries you all.”

“And if we don’t?” one of the men said.

“Then I plant you here,” Chris said his voice a savage whisper, when he smiled Old Zeke nudge his horse out of the way of any flying lead, all through the chase Zeke had seen the way the other men avoided Larabee. The man had a reputation as a cold blooded killer, and since no one knew why he was there the whispers had been rife, silencing only when those cold green eyes had fixed on them, and his fingers had tapped the butt of his gun.  The one story that was circulated the most was that Tanner crossed the gun man and Larabee wanted blood suddenly the money on the poster didn’t seem enough if it meant getting between the gunman and his prey. So when Chris drawled. “Get your friend and get the fuck out of here.” The other men didn’t hang around, they wheeled their horses round and took off, leaving Old Zeke to pick the wounded man up and push a rag against the wound and bundle him up on his horse, grabbing the reins and leading him off as quickly as he could.

Chris watched them go and only then did he holster his gun and walked over to the warning cairn, pulled the bandana from the stones, he fingered the lock of Tanner’s brown hair as he looked up at the rocks, somewhere out there was Vin and he would find him he folded the hair into the bandana and pushed it into the pocket of his black duster. Mounted his horse and kicked the animal forward, Chris mused  Vin Tanner could run but he couldn’t hide, from him, the bounty hunter  might out distance him now, but he would catch up and when he did, Vin would be under no illusion of the place he occupied in the heart of the gun man.

He didn’t expect Vin to be waiting for him, that scrawny assed Texan would already be heading that devil spawn mule of a horse towards Standish, but he would follow.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Ezra Standish, was being run to ground by the men hunting him, he tried to pace his horse, by alternating it from walking to trotting and back again, hoping to out distance them. But in his heart he knew that he was being caught, all he could do was hope and pray that Vin was on his way. He refused to believe that his lover was lying dead across the back of a horse on his way back to Tascosa. What ever happened he had to survive, for Vin.

The End


	3. Darkness and the light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra is being dragged back to Julian Parker, but for the bounty hunters he's a whore to be used, and abused to the horror of JD Dunne an easterner who love of adventure led him to join the posse.

Ezra Standish was in serious trouble.  Naked and tied by the wrists, he was surrounded by four bounty hunters.  The one in the lead was holding the rope, the one to his left was jostling him so that the horse’s shoulder would knock into him. His nude body was already filthy with dirt, there were seeping cuts all over him and blood stained the left side of his face. A hard foot in the centre of his shoulders sent Ezra staggering forward and he went down hard onto his knees. Blood tricked down his chin as he tried to bite back the pain.  He made to get back to his feet, only to fall over once more.  He managed to roll onto his back and there was pain as the rocks cut into his already abused flesh. The leader pulled his horse to a halt.  “Frank, get him on his feet.”

“Marty-” the man started to complain. But when Marty tapped the butt of his gun, he just did as he was told.  Grabbing hold of Standish, he dragged him to his feet and gave him a push so that he collided with the other rider. Young JD Dunne caught hold of the bound hands and supported him, his young face showing his disgust at what he was seeing.

This wasn’t what JD had thought it was going to be. Newly arrived in the West, the chance to join a real posse was something he couldn’t turn down. Even when the lawmen turned back, JD had kept going.  After hearing what these four men had called the others, JD wasn’t going to quit.  Now he was regretting it.

The first night after they had caught Standish they had just left him tied up.  JD had brought him a small plate of stew, but hadn’t got too close.  He had been told that Standish was a tricky bastard. But instead of taking him back to Clarkesville, they had decided to return him to Gus Parker’s Ranch.  The bounty was a private one, and they might be able to barter it up higher in person. By the third day, they had started to mistreat Standish and there was nothing that JD had been able to do to stop them.

Then, three nights ago, they had stripped the gambler and it had gotten really nasty.  JD had fled from the camp site until early the next morning. When he had returned, Standish had been shivering under a threadbare blanket; a boot in the stomach had woken the prisoner. It was then that JD had seen the dried blood coating the inside of his thighs and the heavy bruising on the trim body. But Standish had still made it to his feet.  They had since walked him for miles in the sun and the almost casual abuse was taking their toll on the wanted man.

Each night since, they had become more violent in their games.  His throat already bore a rope burn where they had started to hang him last night, only to cut him down and fuck him raw, before leaving him tied up and freezing  cold until they decided to start again.

JD wanted to run; he knew that if he did they wouldn’t care, he was one less person to claim share of the $350 reward. But if he did, he would have to leave Standish.  _What did that matter, he told himself bitterly.  He wasn’t doing the man any good as it was._ He could take Standish with him, but it would mean going against the other men and he wasn’t sure that he could take them. Looking at Standish he could see the other man was shivering and the flush of fever was starting to colour his face.

The other men were still in the process of making camp for the evening.  It was already dark and the only light came from the fire.  No one was paying him any attention so, mind made up, JD walked across and thrust a canteen into the bound hands.  For a heartbeat his eyes met Standish’s and then the wanted man took a deep drink from the canteen, coughed and then took another, before Marty came up, pushing JD out of the way and knocking the canteen from Ezra’s hands.

“You don’t give him anything,” he smirked.  “He has to earn it, don’t you, beautiful?”  He caught hold of Standish’s face, the fingers digging deep into his flesh.  Then he gave him a hard push so that he sprawled onto his back, to the laughter of the other bounty hunters.  Marty said; “See boys, he can’t wait for it.”  Dismissed, JD backed away as the bounty hunters began to circle round their prisoner, before they started to fall on the struggling bound man like vultures on a carcass.

JD turned and headed away from the camp, trying to blot out the yelling and the catcalls. It was then he saw the man in front of him.  The way he dressed, the man was a tracker or buffalo hunter.  JD went for his gun and then froze as the man’s hand snapped up and he found himself looking into the barrel of a Mare’s leg.  The Texan accent was soft and rasping.  “How many of them?”

“F four,” JD stuttered.

The man swung the butt of the Mare’s leg round fast and JD pitched down, flat on his face.  “You’re lucky boy, you never touched him.”

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

Marty was pounding into the abused body, the others pinning the struggling man’s arms and legs down, when suddenly they went quiet.  Looking up, Marty saw the man standing in front of him; the old boots, the rough pants and shirt, the faded bandana and the old filthy buckskin jacket. The face was hidden by the slouched confederate cavalry hat.

“Get off him.” The voice was deadly.

Marty looked past him.  “This is our bounty Tanner.  Now get the fuck out of here, before we decide to cash in on yours.”

The only answer he got was the chambering of the bullet in the Mare’s leg. “Ain’t going to be asking you again.”  

Marty Richards reached a hand down and groped the prisoner to make his point as he leered up at the newcomer. “You want a piece of his ass, put your money down and take your turn, but no way are we letting him go until we get our bounty.”

The newcomer shook his head then fired.  The bullet took Marty in the chest and then he dropped the other three; the shock of seeing their leader cut down froze them just for that crucial second.

The prisoner rolled onto his side and then pushed himself up on his knees, bound hands held in front of him, breathing heavily, as his gaze took in his rescuer.  Vin Tanner pulled his knife and went over to the kneeling man.  “Take it easy Ez, I’m just going to cut you free.” 

Crouching down, Vin cut through the rope.  Just then, Marty groaned and started to try and push himself up from where he lay on his back.

Vin suddenly lunged at the wounded man and brought the knife down with his full weight  behind it, embedding it in the rapist’s groin.  Marty’s body arched up as the agony exploded  through his body.  Snarling curses in English, Comanche and Spanish, Tanner pulled the knife out and then slashed it across Marty’s throat, cutting through to his spinal cord. Then, standing up, he spat down into the unseeing eyes of Standish’s dead abuser.

Only then did he turn slowly to look at the man he had just rescued.  “You going to say something?”

“No, Mr Tanner, he got what he deserved,” Ezra Standish said.  He reached out his hand and was dragged to his feet.  “I think that I am going to find my clothes. Gentlemen should never be seen without at least a modicum of clothing.”

Standish dragged the boots off one of the men, dug out his pants and now grubby white shirt from a saddlebag and dressed quickly, before stripping his red coat from one of the dead men, followed by his hat. He rooted around another saddlebag and retrieved his derringer, shoulder holster and gun belt and strapped them on, before turning back to Vin Tanner.

In three steps he had his arm around Vin’s neck, pulling his head down so that he could kiss him long and hard.  A strong arm circled his waist and he was pulled tight against the long, lean body of his lover.

“What took you?” Ezra finally managed to mutter as he broke the kiss.

But Vin didn’t answer him; he just pulled him close and ravished his lover’s mouth, at the same time as his knee pushed between Ezra’s legs, rubbing up against him, making him gasp into that punishing kiss. It sparked pain in his abused body, but at the same time it was counterbalanced by a need.  He had been raped and abused, day after day since his capture. What he needed now was to feel his lover and know that he wasn’t disgusted by what had happened, to know that he was loved.

Ezra buried his face into the shoulder of his Texan lover, nuzzling through the long hair to nip at his throat. The dead bodies forgotten, Vin swept him up and carried him to the pile of blankets and laid him down with great care. The Texan, Ezra knew, had very few possessions in his life and the fact that he was considered one of them never ceased to amaze him.

“The kid, did you...”

“He’s alive, but he won’t be going anywhere.”

Vin eased down over him, pushing the black hat off even as Ezra mimicked his action and then the Texan swooped in for another long kiss, as he stroked down the southerner’s body with one hand and he felt his lover’s hips rise to his touch. Then suddenly Ezra gave a big yawn, his jaw clicking, and drifted off to sleep.

The bounty hunter shook his head, a smile ghosting across his face and, placing a light, almost chaste kiss on his lips, he pulled the blankets over him and once he was sure that he wasn’t going to wake up, began to drag the bodies away from the campsite.

Going to check on JD, he knelt down to the bound younger man and tapped his face a couple of times, none too gently, until the brown eyes opened.  JD tried to back pedal away from the Bowie knife that was being held right against his face, but a hand caught him by the scruff of the neck and yanked him forward again.

“I am going to cut you free kid, but you come near Ez again, and I’ll gut you.”

Looking into the cold blue eyes in the moon light, JD believed him.

When he was cut free, he grabbed his horse and rode, never looking back.

 

The end


	4. The Bad Element

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris Larabee is known as the Bad Element, a lightening fast killer, a man dressed in black, it takes a special kind of man to steal his horse and live. Vin Tanner might just be that man.

Ezra woke his body was hurting, he reached out for a bottle of whiskey and took a deep pull, he saw Vin sat on one of the rocks nearby. Looking round he saw the bodies of his rapists had been dragged away. A small fire was burning and a pot of coffee was bubbling, Ezra looked towards the horses and then looked again, and frowned.

“Mr. Tanner, surely that is not your usual equine partner, I know that Diablo is devils spawn on four hoofs but?”

“Old Diablo bruised his foot, left him with the fellow who’s horse that is.”

“A temporary trade I hope.”

“Yeah you could say that?”

Ezra arched an eyebrow, at the way that Vin said that, and the look the Texan gave him.

Vin used his bandana to protect his hand as he lifted the coffee pot up off the fire and pour out two steaming cups.

“And how did you find this err friend.”

“Kinda ran into him.” Vin shrugged.

“Kinda ran into him.” Ezra mimicked. “Mr. Tanner we are in the middle of god knows where, I would hazard a guess that only the gophers know where we are, and you manage to run into a friend out here?”

Vin just smiled at him, and got up and handed him the cup.”

Twenty four hours earlier **.**

Even as he rode and thought about the past, Chris’s vigilance didn’t waver, like most men that travelled the west, Chris was able to carry a map in his head of where he was, not as good as the Tanners of this world, who seemed to know every hill and rock. But good enough that he didn’t get lost. The one thing that Chris knew was that Tanner knew he was following, considering how he had cut and covered his trail, this was too easy. He could feel the eyes of prey on him, but who was the hunter and who was the prey.

Early the next morning Chris opened his eyes, his hat was pulled down over his face, but he could sense someone stood near him, the distinct click of a mare’s leg being cocked told him all he needed to know.

“Hell of a way to wake a man up Tanner.” Chris drawled.

The gun man slowly pushed his hat back, and looked up at Vin Tanner, and he allowed a ghost of a smile, his gaze sweeping over the Texan, checking him for injuries, there appeared to be none, but the younger man look exhausted, and dead on his feet.

“Forgot old men like you need their sleep, cowboy.”

Chris shook his head, in the three months they had been riding together, Vin had taken to calling him cowboy, and the contrary Texan knew that he hated it, but it had become something special between them, it was a tie that Chris welcomed as it brought them closer. But god help anyone that called him cowboy, they would be facing down a gun if they lived long enough.

“You got something I need Chris, won’t set you afoot, but it’s life or death.”

“Standish?”

Vin nodded, “some bastards got a private poster on him, those men get their hands on him and,” Chris cut across him.

“I know I saw it, what you need.”

Vin didn’t answer he just looked towards the horses.

Chris sat up fast, “Fuck you Tanner, that’s my horse.”

“Didn’t think it was a mule.” Vin drawled, and lifted the mares’ leg slightly,

“You going to use that on me, Vin?”

“Got to ask why you were following me, with the posse.”

“Hell Tanner, I can’t track for a plug nickel, got to have someone to point the way.” There was a pause, then Chris added “Didn’t mean to spook you in Purgatory, wasn’t my plan to do that.”

Vin shifted slightly as he remembered the press of that lean body against him, when he had tripped and accidentally pulled Chris down on top of him in the livery, he had felt the harness, pressing into him, and had seen the unshielded flare of passion in Chris’s green eyes.  It was then he had panicked too many memories had crashed down on him.

Without realizing it, his eyes now spoke volumes to Chris Larabee, he saw something different in the tracker’s eyes, there wasn’t the fear there, there was something else, and Chris found it puzzling but at the same time it called to him.

The present

“Do I know the kind donator of that fine animal?” Ezra asked.

Vin just grinned at him, “You looked real pretty in that red coat, in Purgatory at that poker table.”

 

Ezra’s mouth dropped open, Purgatory, a poker game and……“You stole Chris Larabee’s horse, Chris “man in black, shoot you dead for looking at him the wrong way” Larabee.”

“About sums him up.” Vin drawled, his eyes flashing with an unholy light of humor.

Ezra remembered all too clearly how Larabee had looked towards the door of the saloon and then left quickly, his rival for Vin Tanner was Chris Larabee, there had been no mistaking the look in the gun man’s eyes, as one of affection as he had seen someone that he held dear.

“If you’re up to riding we need to back track him, I’s take one of their horses, until Diablo is fit to ride, not like they’re going to miss it.”

Ezra exhaled slowly, “that Mister Tanner is a meeting that I feel sure is going to be educational.”

“Don’t know about educational Ez, but I sure want you there.”

“For moral support Mr. Tanner?”

“Hell no, the more targets I’s give him the less chance he’s likely to put a hole in me.”

“That is reassuring Mr. Tanner,” Ezra paused and then added “I think.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

Chris stirred the strew, and looked round as he saw Diablo’s head come up and the horse whickered a greeting.  Getting up Chris’s hand dropped down to rest on his gun, when he saw the two riders heading towards him, he squinted against the sun, and recognized the distinct outline of Vin Tanner. The smile of relief he gave he hide behind a scowl, Vin pulled his horse to a halt, “brought your horse back Larabee, ain’t no horse thief.”

Chris just nodded and switched his gaze to Ezra, “Stew in the pot if you want it, biscuits are stale,” Chris shrugged and turned back to the fire as he added “but they’ll fill your belly if you want them.”

Ezra started to dismount only to have Vin at his side in an instant, reaching up to help him, he tried to bat his lover’s hand away, but it was only half hearted. His body was a mass of pain, his clothes were a torture, but he had understood they had to keep moving, later he would have time to heal. Back tracking to Larabee was something that had to be done, they couldn’t leave the gun man on foot with an injured horse, but all the same Ezra wasn’t sure how Chris Larabee was going to react to him.

Chris was squatted by the fire pouring himself a coffee, as he studied both men carefully, before when Vin had taken his horse he had seen a bone weariness in him, a man running for his life, but a man that was also all to ware that if he failed another man might pay the price. He could see the dark shadows under the Texan’s eyes, exhaustion oozed from every pore of his body, but even so he had moved quickly even if it did lack his usual feline grace, all but stumbling, to get to the gamblers side.

Standish, looked as pale as a ghost, pain was pinched round his eyes and mouth, and as he was helped down, Chris couldn’t help but see the blood on the saddle and the filthy grey pants, he didn’t need it put in words what had happened to the gambler, because of that damned wanted poster.  The two men needed to rest and a chance to heal, Chris swore under his breath there was one place they could do that, a place that he had vowed never to return too.

“Get him down onto the bed roll, Vin, and I’ll get the water heated up.” Mind made up Chris was all business.

Vin coaxed Ezra down onto Larabee’s blanket, and onto his side.

“Tanner.”

The younger man turned and by reflex caught the water canteen that was thrown to him, and nodded his thanks, and handed it to Ezra, who took it with shaking hands, now he no longer had to keep going, his body was giving in to the pain, and exhaustion. “You must rest as well Mr. Tanner.” He caught Vin’s hand, and squeezed it.

“Time to rest once I’s get you comfortable.”

Ezra looked past him to Chris and felt his face go hot as he realized the black dressed gun man knew what had happened to him and he felt soiled, and used, he shook his head trying to tell Vin he was alright but the words got stuck in his throat, so he let his head drop, hiding his eyes from Chris Larabee, not wanting to see what was in them.   It was then he felt Vin’s fingers lightly cup his chin and tilt his face up. “You gone nothing to be ashamed about Ez,” Vin spoke softly, and Ezra felt himself relaxing under the softy rasped words.

Ezra sank back onto the bed roll, and threw an arm up over his eyes, and tried to ignore the sounds as Vin moved round the camp, knowing that he was preparing the plants he had collected to make into a paste to put on his wounds. When Vin had dressed his most intimate wounds earlier, he had felt that the pain was nothing compared to the humiliating way that he had to submit to his body being packed with silk torn from  of his shirts and soaked in the paste, he was all too aware that if the wounds inside of him festered he would die a painful and ugly death, but all the same it had struck at his very pride, it had only be the loving kisses and touches that Vin had given him, and the knowledge that the hands touching him were his lover’s that had allowed him to submit to the ministration.

But now Larabee was here, he had seen in the gun man’s eyes that he knew what had happened to him. “Standish,” Chris’s voice made Ezra flinch, “in the war I saw a lot of things, and nothing is as low as what they did to you.” Chris paused, “the bastards that did it, they still breathing?” His gaze switched to Vin and nodded approval of what he saw in the tired blue eyes, a burst of pure hatred, “Good saves us having to hunt them down.”

“Us.” Ezra echoed puzzled, his eyes glued to Chris.

“You think I am going to let him out of my sight again,” Chris jerked a thumb at Vin, “leave him for two weeks and he gets a bounty on his head,” but his eyes  conveyed the rest of the message.

Ezra didn’t have to hear the rest of the sentence, “and he gets in with you.” To know what Chris Larabee was saying, also he had seen the look that the gun man had given Vin, and there was no mistaking it; he had seen it reflected in barroom mirrors when he had looked at Vin in an unguarded moment and caught a glance at his own reflection. It seemed he was not the only one to have designs of the lean Texan, which was bad enough, if he didn’t feel that hollowness in the pit of his stomach when he looked at the green eyed gun man and know that he desire him as well. It had been his infatuation with Larabee that had driven him to bed Julian Parker, if he couldn’t have the blond gun man he had settled for the next best thing the blond Julian Parker. The only good thing that had come out of that infatuation was the brown haired Vin Tanner, so different, but a man that he loved with all his heart. Now the originator of those lonely nights in hotel rooms, where his dreams and his hand where his only comfort, was back in his life, and…… “Oh hell.”

“Ez,” Vin’s voice made his eyes fly open, and he saw the tracker staring down at him, concern on his face.

“Nothing Mr. Tanner, just reflecting on my own stupidity.”

Vin cocked his head to one side, and Ezra had to smile, the Texan had no idea how adorable he was when he looked like that, and a quick glance told Ezra that he wasn’t the only one who thorough that. Not that he was going to tell Vin that, having Larabee gunning for him over Tanner was going to be bad enough; he didn’t want to include pissed off Tanner  into the mix.

0-0-0-0-0

Chris walked away to allow the gambler what privacy he could have while he had his wounds dressed. The gun man sat down on a small rocky out crop, smoking and watching out across the countryside keeping a look out for any hostile people, while at the same time he was lost in his own thoughts.

He heard Vin come up behind him, and sit down by his side.

“Standish resting,” Chris drawled.

“Yeah,” Vin gave a soft groan as he tried to get comfortable, causing Chris to turn his head to look at him critically.

The tracker rubbed a hand across his face, letting his defenses down allowing his exhaustion to show.

“Time you let go, Vin.”

“What,” the younger man frowned at Chris.

“I’ve got the watch, go on and get some sleep; my guess is you haven’t slept since Tascosa.”

“I’s didn’t do it Chris.”  Vin held Chris’s gaze levelly.

“Never thought you did, didn’t think it earlier when you pinched my horse, don’t think it now.”

Vin nodded wearily, starting to get to get up, his foot slipped and he stumbled, and would have fallen if Chris hasn’t caught him round the waist and pulled him close, pinning the trackers lean body against him. He held Vin, a little longer than he needed if this was the only chance he had he would take it.

The younger man eased back slightly, his hand resting on Chris’s shoulder, and for that long second they just looked at each other, his voice a low rasp, tiredness now seeping into every word, he said “never can have what I want,” then his head dropped forward, against Chris as every ounce of energy seemed to drain from him, as Vin found safety in the gun man’s arms.

Ezra watched them, as Larabee helped Vin down to one of the bed rolls; he saw the almost tender way that Chris made the younger man comfortable. He had guessed that Vin hadn’t had much love in his life, but could he step aside if he wanted Chris, or was there another way.

0-0-0-0-0

Over the next day, Ezra rested and tried to find a way out of this mess, he saw the way that Chris kept close to Vin; the Texan was pretty much out of it having pushed himself past the point of exhaustion. Together they worked to get Vin to eat when he woke and then take a drink or a piss, and then let him get back to sleep again. Ezra lightly brushed the long hair from Vin’s sweat covered face, from where it had dropped forward over his eyes as he slept, and then Ezra had looked up into the face of Chris Larabee, he started to speak but his mouth closed the words unsaid as he had received from Larabee a look that had been as loud as a shouted warning, “back off or die.” Ezra carefully pulled the blanket up round Vin’s shoulder, “how long before we leave this place Mr. Larabee.

“Tomorrow, first light.” Then Chris Larabee was gone walking back to his saddle bag and pulling out a half bottle of whiskey, and took a long pull on it, all the time his eyes had never left Ezra, studying him critically, it was an uncomfortable thing to be weighted up and found wanting, but then people had been doing that to him all his life, why now should it all change.

“You risked your life to free him.”

“That is what you do for a friend Mr. Larabee,” then Ezra lifted his head slightly higher, refusing to be intimidated, “it’s what you do for a lover.” He paused and then added “and if it hadn’t been for Mr. Wilmington, it would have gone a lot harder the fire he…” it was then Ezra trailed off,  and he started to put two and two together, Chris Larabee had been in town that night, the gun man knew about the wanted poster and had joined the posse. “There was someone in that alley coming up on me, I thought I heard something.”

“Yeah, well I couldn’t’ let him stop you getting Vin out.”

“My thanks Mr. Larabee, I.”

“Didn’t do it for you Standish.” Chris snarled at him  and took another drink and eased down against the saddle he was using as a  pillow, and tugged his hat down over his eyes, took another drink, “tomorrow dawn Standish”, then he pushed the cork back into the bottle and for the like of him looked as if he was sleeping.

 

0-0-0-0-0

Over the next three days they travelled slowly the pace set by the injured Ezra, they avoided the small towns until they arrived at a line shack, and it was old and hadn’t been used for several years. But it was sound against the weather, there was water nearby, but Ezra had noticed and so have Vin that the near they got to this place the more somber the gun man had got, this place had memories and you didn’t have to be a genius to guess what that was.

Over the next couple of days they worked to make the place live able. It was late afternoon on the third day that  it finally came to a head.

Chris stood leaning against the corral, they had worked on it just enough, correction he and Vin had worked on it enough so that it kept their horses in, while Standish had watched and make some remarks about manual labor that made him want to push them down his throat with the business end of his gun. He swore under his breath, and smashed a fist down on the wood. It wasn’t Standish, in as much as the man was pissing him off it was being here, back in the valley. It was the only place he knew that was safe for Vin to wait it out for Standish and his horse to rest up, but that didn’t make it any better.

Now so near to the burned out shell of his home and the graves of his family the feeling of guilt got heaver each time he looked at Vin Tanner. This morning he had caught himself looking at Vin’s ass, when the tracker had been combing that snapping turtle that he called a horse. He had turned round to find Ezra standing there, a bemused look on his face, that damned gambler had seen him sizing Vin up, it had taken all his self control not to plant a fist in Standish’s face, instead he had stalked away. Chris had felt the  guilt, what the hell was he doing, looking at a man like that. He was making a mockery of all that had been between him and Sarah.  It was only three years ago that he had brought his new wife to this shack, they had lived here for three blissful if hard months while he and Buck had built a home for them further down into the valley basin.

It was then he had heard Standish’s voice, that damned Deep South accent, when all he wanted to hear was the soft rasping Texan drawl of Vin Tanner.

 “Mr. Larabee, I feel that since Mr. Tanner is now safely in this err shack, that we should talk.”

“Got nothing to say Standish.”

“We have everything to say, I have seen the way you look at Vin.” That got Chris’s attention.  Ezra added “Vin had had very little love in his life; I pride myself that he had found some with me.”

There was silence, Chris just looked on him, and Ezra tried to ignore the fact that the green eyes of the gun man had gone icy; this wasn’t what Larabee wanted to hear. Suddenly Ezra had had enough if this man thought he was worthy of loving Vin Tanner, then the black dressed son of a bitch, had to say it.  “Damn it, Tanner loves you as well but he’s scared.”

“Vin doesn’t get scared.” It was stated coldly.

“Behind a rifle, facing a knifeman, tracking a bounty, or riding with the tribes, but he is scared of emotions, they leave him vulnerable. So you have to ask yourself Mr. Larabee why can’t he have what he so clearly wants.”

“Clearly.”

“Mr. Larabee, I make my living reading people, and you sir are shouting from the roof tops, what you feel for him, and Mr. Tanner, is shy in precipitating.”

“You taken him.”

Ezra refused to back down, “we have fornicated, Mr. Larabee.” When Chris opened his mouth he added “I have never fucked him, to say that is to imply that I have no feeling for Mr. Tanner, and that I have merely used him. I sir would not use him just as you would never use Mr. Tanner for your baser need.”

“You have him, so why are we talking Standish, you gloating.”

“No Mr. Larabee, as I said we give him what he needs and wants, we make this work for him.”

“You would share him.”

“I would do whatever he needs.” Ezra paused “the question you have to ask yourself Mr. Larabee is can you get past what is holding you paralyzed, would you turn your back on Mr. Tanner because of the past, or will you embrace the future with him.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about Standish.” Chris started to turn away. Only for Ezra to catch him by the shoulder and pull him back, Chris violently knocked his hand away.

“Keep your hands off me,” he snarled

“Mr. Larabee if it takes me beating your over the head with a corral post I will do it. Do you.” Ezra allowed his anger to come through, “really think that you have a monopoly in sorrow, I was married at eighteen and went to war and she died in Atlanta when it burned, you have a grave, you can mourn, and a place you can go. I have nothing.”  Ezra could feel himself shaking, “but unlike you Mr. Larabee, I have moved on, she will be in my heart forever, but I have room for Mr. Tanner, for Vin, you have to ask yourself, will you lose what you have here, or will you embrace it. So Mr. Larabee are you coward, or…” Ezra never saw the fist coming, the next thing he knew he was on his ass in the dirt, and Chris was stalking off to the small lean too that served as a stable. A few minutes later Chris was riding out and heading hell for leather down the valley.

Vin came rushing out of the shack, “what the hell happened.”

“Get your horse Mr. Tanner, Mr. Larabee needs you.”

“Needs us Ez.” For a long moment he looked into the eyes of his lover, “I know Ez” he  said softly “were make it work, because I ain’t going to lose either of you.”

“I didn’t think that you?”

“That I didn’t know, hell Ez, the way he’s been looking at me since we met, I would have had to have been blind, and I ain’t that. I was spooked, been used too many times, don’t trust easy,  and then I don’t have to tell you that. Chris’s a good man.”

“I will have to take your word for that Mr. Tanner.” Ezra drawled dabbing at his cut lip.

“Shit Ez, old Chris is just a.”

“A black dressed fast gun killer with a log sized chip on his shoulder, and ….”

“Got to love him ain’t you.” Vin said with a grin and headed towards the lean to. Leaving Ezra shaking his head and following him slowly, as he called after him “that Mr. Tanner I will leave up to you.”

0-0-0-0-0

Chris rode down into the valley where his home had been, the burned out ruin of his cabin holding silent vigil over the small grave yard. Two stones marked the final resting place of Sarah and Adam Larabee.

Removing his hat, Chris approached them, kneeling down he reached out and traced his fingers along the letters of his beloved wife’s name. His world had ended three years ago when his family had died and from that day he had worn the black of deepest mourning and lost himself in drink, anything to mask the pain that tore his heart apart. Buck had tried to help him, in a halting voice he told Sarah what Buck had done and how in blind anger he had driven the big hearted man away with blows and curses. Tears slowly ran down his face as he finally shed them, tears that had taken three years to fall, and his shoulders began to shaking. No matter how he told himself that he had been forced back by his need to help Vin, he now acknowledged that it was because of Vin that he could return, the young Texan had been like a bright light on a dark night, it had lit his way back here.

The soft whickering of a horse greeting another, make him turn his hand dropping to his gun, Vin stood there.

“Gonna introduce me.” He nodded to the graves as he stepped closer removing his own hat in respect.

Chris got up, taking a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Vin’s calm blue ones, in two strides he was stood in front of the younger man, reaching out a trembling hand he touched Vin’s face, as Vin turned into his hand, and he felt the Texan’s lips brush his palm in a soft kiss.

The gun man’s hand dropped away, and he took Vin’s and drew him with him back to the grave.

“Sarah this is Vin, you always knew what I felt without me having to tell you. You could see into my heart, my beloved, so you kinda know that I love him.”

Vin’s breath caught, he smiled shyly, as Chris guided his hand so that he could trace her name together.

“I’s know I can’t replace you, and I’s wouldn’t want too. What you had with Chris was special, but I’s promise you,” Vin’s voice caught “that I love him, and will look after him.”

Chris squeezed his hand and he allowed his soon to be lover to take him to the second smaller stone, to kneel down as Chris introduced him to his son.

Stood back holding both horses Ezra could feel the tears beading his eyes, then to his shock, Chris suddenly turned to him, and for a long minute they just met each other’s gaze and the gun man said, his voice cracking slightly, “Sarah always liked Buck, she had a soft spot for a rogue, kinda think she would have like you Ezra, so you coming.”

Ezra not Standish as he had been calling him since they met, Ezra, smiled and removed his hat as he walked towards the graves, “I don’t know about a rogue Mr. Larabee but I would be honored.”

That night for the first time Chris slept wrapped in Vin’s arms, exhausted by the emotions of the day, Ezra had been surprised when Vin had reached a hand out to him and invited him into the nest of blankets in front of the fire. Now was a time to heal spiritually and physically, what tomorrow would bring was still to be written, but for now the three of them had found each other and that was all that mattered.

The end

 

 


	5. Road Travelled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the love of Vin Tanner, Ezra Standish is going to do the impossible talk to Chris Larabee about the man in blacks feeling for their wild lover

Ezra Standish, rode in silence, it wasn’t for want of trying, Chris Larabee wasn’t in the mood to talk, and what the black dressed gun man had said to him been snarled comments short and sharp, and hadn’t exactly engendered further attempts of conversation. The reason for the bad mood was patently missing, Vin Tanner, the ex bounty hunter and now wanted man had taken off in the early hours of the morning leaving them both at the shack, where they had been resting. Why?

Now Ezra prided himself on his insight in other men’s minds, he made his living as a gambler, and a gambler that couldn’t read men, ended up broke, and might as well throw in his cards. He had noticed a chance in Vin over the last two days in particular.

Now Vin Tanner was his lover, but it was very plain to see that he had strong if silent feelings for Chris Larabee and the gun man had deep feelings for Vin, but so far the two men hadn’t acted on them.  Yes, Vin had slept in Chris’s arms but beyond that, nothing had happened, no one had made that step that would redefine their relationship into lovers.

To begin with he had feared that he would lose Vin, after all he was the Texan’s lover, and Chris was now all too clearly out to take Vin as his lover and they couldn’t share could they? Ezra remembered all too clearly what had happened.

Chris had gone down to the graves of his family, and finally it seemed reached a place of peace among the storms of guilt and grief that had nearly destroyed the gun man, and it had allowed him to take the step that had moved him on, oh he was still in deepest mourning and would possible ware black for them until the day he died. But he had seen his future in Vin, at their graves he had introduced Vin to them, and to Ezra’s shock had included him in this most intimate of moments. Later that night when they had slept it had been curled up together, with Vin lying between them It was then Ezra had vowed that he would do whatever he could to make Vin happy and if that meant standing back for Chris Larabee then he would do it, but god help the gun man if he discarded Vin or this was nothing more than a whim. 

But what he had seen since then had convinced him that Chris was very serious about Vin, and over the next couple of days the gun man had been engaged in an intricate dance round the young Texan.  Chris had taken every opportunity to touch Vin, with soft light caresses, getting the younger man used to his hand, to the closeness of his body, knowing when to back off before Vin got spooked, he had heard during one conversation when Larabee had been drawn out to talk a little about his past. He had tamed wild mustangs, and it amused Ezra to see that he used those same skills with their half wild Texan. Now that brought him to the same place he had started his musing why had Vin taken off?

_48 hours ago_

_Chris sat on the edge of the porch smoking one of his habitual cheroots, it was early in the morning there was still a bite to the air, and the sky was awash with the colors of pre dawn. Larabee hadn’t turned when Ezra had stepped out of the door, closing it behind him._

_“Mr. Tanner is sleeping soundly, I thought now might be the time to talk Mr. Larabee.”_

_“And what would we want to talk about Standish,” there was a pause, and Chris looked up at the gambler, “Ezra,” he corrected._

_Ezra raised an eyebrow at that, but didn’t make a comment._

_“That is your name ain’t it.” Chris all but snarled at him._

_“Indeed it is Mr. Larabee; I am just surprised to hear it that was all.”_

_“Let’s get this straight, I don’t trust you Ezra, you’re a card sharp and a cheater, heard people talk about you.” Chris smiled and it was a cold and Ezra couldn’t help but feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up._

_“And I of you Mr. Larabee, but I choice not to believe all of them.”_

_“Your loss Ezra,” Chris all but purred at him that cool voice chilling but at the same time igniting a heat in the gamblers loins. He had since the first time he had seen the blond gun man felt a very physical reaction to the man, and now it was stronger than ever. They had shared a bed, be it with Vin lay between them, but he had been welcomed into that bed that had given him some food for thought._

_“Mr. Tanner is my lover, you know that,” Ezra held a hand up to stop Chris from speaking, “I am not gloating, simply stating the truth, before I was so blessed, there have been others. As I am sure you have guessed, but these men did not use Mr. Tanner kindly, and I fear that when he was younger, force was used, as I cannot see Mr. Tanner, giving up his body to them willingly. It has left Mr. Tanner with in grained views that I am.” Ezra looked Chris straight in the eyes, “That WE, Mr. Larabee, must address, and it will take time. Mr. Tanner is a brave man, a sharpshooter without compare but intimacy is foreign to him.” Ezra paused “it took me time to build up his trust so that he would allow me to become intimate with him.” All the time he was talking Ezra was trying to gauge Chris’s mood._

_“You would share him.”_

_“I would do what best for him, and I am sure you would   Mr. Larabee, and he wants you, but he doesn’t know what to do, doesn’t believe that he  can have us both, he thinks that he has to choose. What I am saying to you is that if you are willing I am, we put aside our personal feelings and embrace the precious life that we have been given.”_

_For a long moment there was just silence hanging between them, and Chris got slowly to his feet, took one last pull on the cheroot and then pinched out the glowing end and tossed it to the ground, and put out his hand._

_Ezra accepted it and it was at that moment he knew that he was entering into an agreement that would bind him to Larabee for as long as Vin lived._

_The next morning Ezra was shaving, his mirror propped up against the wall, being in the middle of the back of beyond, didn’t mean that he had to look like a savage, so regardless of the bemused looks he got from Vin he continued his elaborate toilet._

_“Heard you and Larabee talking this morning.”_

_Oh that wasn’t good Ezra mused, and made a play at concentrating on the razor that he was playing against his skin as Vin came up behind him, trying to keep calm, he knew what was coming  was important he couldn’t mess this up._

_Slowly he lowered the razor, turning to Vin, “Mr. Tanner, we meant no harm, on the contrary all we want to do is what is best for you.”_

_“For me?” Vin drawled slowly, “being shared between you like a mare in heat.”_

_“Mister…..” But Vin wouldn’t let him finish._

_“I’s a stallion as well, Ezra you and Chris best remember that.” Vin started to turn away only for Ezra to grab his arm, the gambler met the tracker’s gaze levelly and he could see the hurt in those blue eyes. It was with a sudden clarity that Ezra knew, and he cursed himself for not thinking about it earlier. Larabee and he had come to an understand last night willing to give Vin what he wanted, but they had failed in the most important aspect in that they had failed to talk to Vin Tanner._

_“It’s not what you think Mr. Tanner?”_

_Vin had glanced down at his hand, Ezra knowing that the tracker didn’t like to be restrained let his hand drop away. “We meant no harm Mr. Tanner, we want only what will make you happy. I have seen the looks that you have exchanged with Mr. Larabee; last night when we slept together you took my hand, and pulled me close, even as you allowed yourself to rest in Mr. Larabee’s arm. Mr. Tanner, I took from that you would not desert me for him, that, is that correct.”_

_“You think I would leave you?”_

_“No, Mr. Tanner,” knowing in that split second he had to be totally honest, Ezra said “Yes, I was worried,” looking down Ezra took a breath, then he looked up and met those  blue eyes again “I should have known better, what we have.”_

_“What we have Ez, is just as strong as what I felt the first time you took me, ain’t going to let that go, but Chris, I’s, we…what the hell you both see in me, I  don’t know?  I’s nothing” Vin stuttered to a halt, and walked away._

_Looking past Vin he saw Chris stood by the side of the shack, the gun man took a step towards the tracker, but Ezra shook his head and was surprised to see that Chris followed his lead._

_He should have known that Vin wouldn’t leave it at that, and the next day when they woke up he was gone. So now here he was when Chris Larabee trying to track down their wayward lover._

Vin had made no effort to cross his tracks so he wasn’t running from them, and it was clear that he was heading towards Four Corners, which leads Ezra back to the why. It was then it hit him Vin wanted him to spend time with Chris, without him being present, giving them time to settle any differences that might arise from their agreement. Which was just great, only Larabee was about as talkative as a clam. Oh he was going to have more than words with his lover when he caught up, and glancing across at Chris; it looked like Mr. Larabee had similar ideas in mind. Which was going to make their reunion interesting to say the least.

Ezra suddenly pulled Knave to a halt as he realized that Chris had pulled his horse up, the man in black unhooked his canteen took a drink and then to Ezra’s surprise he had nudged his horse forward and offered him the canteen. Ezra took a slow drink, and handed it back, carefully studying the gun man, it was then that the dark and deadly aura that Chris Larabee wore like a cloak since this morning seemed to lift from him. Ezra realized that he was now looking at the same man he had glimpsed on the porch of the shack when they had talked the same man that had nestled a sleeping Vin Tanner in his arms with such love and tenderness. There was warmth, in Chris’s smile, that seemed to touch his eyes; it was no longer the cold smile of the killer, this was the man that Vin loved the man that had once been Chris Larabee before tragedy had devastated his life.

“Fucking sonofabitch.”

“You spoke Mr. Larabee.” Ezra drawled, only to be pinned by cold green eyes that then softened.

“Tanner”

“Err yes, I am not a mind reader Mr. Larabee, you have to string words together to form a sentence, although you are almost gabby compared to Mr. Tanner.”

“When I find him, I am going to hog tie the bastard.”

“An enterprising plan, and then what.” Their eyes met and Ezra said “Oh,” he raised an eye brow and grinned , “I hope that I am included in that, and of course Mr. Larabee I have a few ideas of my own that you might like to consider. After all I am also the wounded party in this escapade of Mr. Tanner.” Ezra paused and accepted the canteen back for another drink “I was thinking unfortunately Mr. Tanner does have a way with knots as does that snapping turtle that masquerades as a horse. Hog tying is good, but we will need to develop that theme slightly,” Ezra handed the canteen back “and of course   our intrepid tracker can’t run very fast if his pants are missing.”

 “I could get to like the way you think Ez.” Chris drawled as he hooked the canteen back on his saddle and turned his horse once again towards Four Corners.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

Vin rode towards Four Corners, knowing that Chris and Ezra would be on his trail. Things were changing round him, and he needed time to get things straight in his head _._

_He remembered the feeling of being held close in Chris’s strong arms, but at the  same time having Ezra curled up round his back, feeling more secure more safe than at any time in his life since his mother died. He had always been totally honest with himself, and he knew that he had feelings for both men, but feels where something alien to him, something that could get you killed, an were best pushed down deep and kept locked inside of you._

_At the beginning when Chris had first come into his life he had flinched away from his touch, but the gun man had never given up on him.   Vin thought he had read something more into their friendship, Chris’s need to touch him, the protective stance the gun man had taken in backing him against all comers, and many other small things that he so desperately wanted to see, that would say that Chris wanted him as badly as he wanted the blond gunman.  But always at the back of his mind was the sobering thought that Chris might not want him that way,  after all he knew the gun man’s past, Chris had a wife and child, still mourned them deeply, so he could he really want a man especially him, he wasn’t exactly a catch. But when he realized that Chris indeed wanted him, he had run, needing to distance himself from him, spooked by the idea of his dream becoming reality._

_Because the reality was simple for him, it could never just be sex with Chris. Then Ezra had come along, the gambler had helped him, nursed him, his touch tender, and he treated him as if he mattered, he didn’t just jump his bones and demand sex as payment for helping him. When finally Ezra had took him to his bed, and mounted him he had taken him with care making sure that the little  pain he felt  was out weighted by the pleasure, taking him not in lust but in love._

_Ezra had been not just a lover but a friend, not laughing at him when he found out he couldn’t read and write, he was actually teaching him his letters, telling him that he wasn’t stupid that he could learn._

_Was he being greedy to want them both? Could have them both? They seemed to think that he could, but he had to make them understand that he wasn’t going to be handed round between them; it had to be on his terms.  It was only on his terms that this was going to work. That was why he had taken himself out of the mix; he wanted them to get to know each other. It was about time that Ez saw the other side of Chris, otherwise it was never going to work, back at the small graveyard when Chris had brought both of them forward to the graves of his family, it had been the beginning. He had seen the wonder in Ez’s eyes when he was included, and the surprise in this tender side of the notorious gunman’s nature. Chris was a lot of things to different people, at one time he had been the loving husband and father to his wife and son, to him he was a true friend and would be lover, to Ez that was still to be decided. But that could only come about by them being forced together on a joint mission and that was to catch him he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face as he  as he called out “catch me if you can boys,” and with a whoop he kicked Diablo into a gallop as he headed towards Four Corners._

_0-0-0-0-0_

The sun was low in the sky, and soon they would have to stop to make camp for the night, against the odds Chris had found that Ezra Standish a good travelling companion, able to fit the mood of the person he was riding with. They had talked about good horses, good poker games, and bad towns, and finally they had lapsed into a comfortable silence. As he rode Chris thought back to the shack, and his confrontation with Vin before the younger man had taken off.

_Chris came out of the shack and halted as he saw Vin and Ezra talking the anger on the Texan’s face made Chris start towards the two men, but he was pulled up by the look Ezra gave him, and for some reason he couldn’t fathom he had obeyed that silent command._

_Vin could be twitchy, and last night when they had slept together for the first time, he had felt the tension in that lean body, as those blue eyes had fixed on him all the time as if waiting for his loving touches to turn brutal. He had recognized it for what it was, an old fear that he would want more than Vin was able to give him. So he had moved slowly and showed Vin the love that he had for him, in the way he had touched him, his fingers gently stroking the long hair for Vin’s eyes, caressing his jaw and cheek, until like the wild creature that he was, Vin had leaned into his touch, rubbing up against him._

_He had to be honest with himself that  when Vin had reached out for Ezra to join them, he had been as pissed as hell, he had wanted Vin on his own, he didn’t want to share his new lover, but seeing the look that Vin had given him, it had been a pleading for understanding, so he had curbed his anger. So he had looked into his heart and gave Vin this, and later as they had laid together, Vin in his arms, the look of contentment as the younger man had reached back and pulled Ezra close to him, he knew that he had done the right thing, and he knew deep down that if Vin asked for the moon he would try to find a way of giving it to him, his young lover meant that much to him. Their first kiss had been sweet and tender, with a hint of the promise of what was to come._

_Ezra had come over to him once Vin had walked away; the gambler hadn’t minced his words.  “Mr. Tanner it seems heard our conversation this morning, and to put it mildly he is not happy, I have tried to pacify him, but you known Mr. Tanner?”_

_“I knew I should have gone after him Standish.” Chris said with regret, looking towards the direction Vin had taken._

_Then that devil in the red coat had quirked an eyebrow at him and drawled “at least you know now why you’re apologizing to him. I suggest that you make your feelings heartfelt on” Standish had paused and then smiled as he added “this matter, just as I attempted to do, I just wish you better luck.”_

_Pushing away from the porch, Chris had headed towards where the horses where, Vin was fussing over that devil spawn of a horse of his.  “You want something Larabee.” Vin said without turning round to look at him, just continuing brushing Diablo down._

_Not good, Chris had mused, as he saw the tension radiating from him,  as he closed the distance, and reached a hand out to pet Diablo, only to pull it back as it snapped at him, it seemed that Vin wasn’t the only one pissed off at him._

_Vin patted the horse’s sleek neck, and only then turned to look at him, and Vin made the horse look almost friendly._

_“You want something Larabee.”_

_“Spoke to Standish,” he had paused, “Ezra,” he corrected, as he decided to hell with playing games and came straight to the point “I would share you rather than lose you Vin.”_

_“With a man you can’t even call by his first name?” Vin had drawled as he shook his head, “Ez has fucked me you know that?”_

_“He hasn’t” Chris said with total conviction._

_“Larabee, I’s should know, if he.” But he didn’t get a chance to finish._

_“Ezra has feelings for you, I might not like it, but I am guessing his feelings are like mine and if that’s right, then it’s never just going to be fucking Vin.  The day I lay with you, it won’t be sex, if I wanted that I would go with a whore, and it’s not fucking, because that means that it’s a way of getting rid an itch with  the first man to offer his ass up. When I take you, it’s going to be more than that” Chris closed the distance between them, as he whispered against Vin’s ear just what he was going to do with him, ,  the heat of  passion in them seared through Vin, and Chris reached out one hand lightly stroking down the trackers arm. Then he couldn’t believe it as Vin moved into his arms one hand wrapping round the back of his neck, as he was pulled into a kiss,  then next  instance he was on his ass looking up at Vin._

_“Ain’t easy Chris, just as much as stallion as you and Ez, time you two really talked.”_

_Leaning back on his elbows Chris looked up at him, “ain’t him I want to know.” He leered as he took in his young lover stood there looming over him._

_“Loneliness is pitiful thing Larabee and lonely is going to get you the biggest pair of blue balls this side of Texas, and that’s  how you’re going to be, it’s Ez or nothing, cowboy.” Vin tipped his hat to him, and started to walk away._

_“Vin, get your ass back here” Chris yelled as he  scrambled to his feet in time to see the Texan without walking flip him off and keep going. The smile that Chris had  tried to keep from showing spread across his face, broke through he couldn’t’ wait to get Vin into his bed, because he was sure to be a real spitfire between the blankets, because he sure as hell didn’t fear anything or anyone, and knew exactly what he wanted._

_Then the next morning Vin had taken off, and now they were tracking him to Four Corners, only once he had them going in the right direction the trickily little bastard had cut his tracks, and had taken off,  and was more than likely  already in town got there by god knows what short cuts leaving them to roll in a good day or so behind him._

_0-0-0-0-0_

Ezra patted his horse affectingly before heading over to the fire and the bubbling stew that Chris Larabee was cooking; he had to smile, to see the feared gun slinger so domestic, as if reading his mind Chris looked up. “Sarah always said I could burn water, set out to prove her wrong, I can at least make a stew.” A shadow of sadness touched his face.

The loss of his family was still very raw to Larabee but the fact that he had spoken of them told Ezra volumes. Larabee was moving on he might not know it yet, but that would be the last visit he would make to his families graves, and he was sure that the woman that had captured the love of the blond gun man, wouldn’t mind, would be glad that he was living again.

Chris looked back at the stew and stirred it, he had been doing a lot of thinking over the miles that he had covered with Ezra, his and Vin’s connection with the gambler, destiny, fate, Sarah his beloved had always believed in it. Their first meeting when he had come out of a saloon and nearly sent her flying, only to catch and pull her close, to stop her falling. The look in those hazel eyes, disgust as she had smelt the whiskey on his breath, as she had pulled herself away from him. But at the same time, as she had blushed as their eyes had met, then her head had tilted up and he had seen the defiance. As she had said “Just what I expect from Mitch Howard’s hired gun.” She had then turned on her dainty heels, this petite woman that would come like a whirlwind into his life. He had been watching her go when Buck had clapped him on the back hard as his slung an arm round his shoulder “Brrhhh, stud, come in where the woman are more willing,” Buck had said as he pushed a bottle of whiskey into his hand.

He had tipped the bottle and took a drink  even as  he had held his place until she had disappeared round the corner of the feed building, only then did he let Buck tug him back into the saloon, and the willing arms of one of the saloon girls.  Five minutes earlier and Sarah would have passed by the saloon door, and they would never have met, destiny she called it. The prime and proper school ma’am and the hell bound gun slinger.

Buck always said the what he found so frustrating about him was that he couldn’t see what was going on under his noise, it had taken Buck throwing him against the wall of the saloon some weeks later to make him realize that Miss Sarah really did like him, and “Hell son” as Buck had said, “Sometimes you just have to trust to your heart,” and he had and to hell with her father.

So maybe he should just act of what he knew, if he was wrong then to hell with it, for all Buck’s words he could tell when  man was looking at him, and Ezra had certainly been doing that when they had first met in that saloon in Purgatory. A smile twitched his lips and he was sure that the gambler had been checking his ass out when he was lighting the fire just now, and earlier at the shack he had caught a look on the Ezra’s face when the gambler thought he couldn’t see him. The problem was what was he going to do about it, Vin wanted them both, but three was an odd number; there was always one person left out. Ezra had first claim on Vin, but he was willing to allow him to join them because it was best for Vin, that was love deep and abiding, no matter if Ezra couldn’t voice it. Who could, men liked to hide their emotions and it was the women that understood their hearts better than they did. Sarah understood his heart, but if emotions where not voiced one of them would leave in the end.

Vin if he kept running alone would end up strung up or shot dead and thrown across a bounty hunter’s horse, Ezra it would be a poker game going bad,  locals ganging up on the professional gambler, the card sharp, the cheater, wouldn’t matter if Ezra was honest he would die.  And himself, Chris was under no illusion, that he would be gun downed one day, too drunk to know what he was doing, three men who the bitch fate could save or kill on a whim. But together they could be strong; he scratched his jaw, and settled back against his saddle his mind finally made up, and watched as Ezra moved round the camp site.  Standish like Vin was easy on the eye, the Texan was wild like a mustang, that didn’t trust easy, with fire in its belly and needed a firm hand, and the gambler was like a thoroughbred, handsome to look at but high maintenance but worth every cent. He was going to have his hands fun with that pair, but god it was going to make his life interesting. Chris gave Ezra a smile and saw the small frown on the younger man’s face, Ezra was governed or liked to think he was governed by his intellect, but he was just as much a creature of passion as anyone else. Now Ezra was waiting for him to make a move on him, he would know they had a mutual interest and had worked out the odds that it would lead them to fucking, and wanted to be in control of the encounter,  it would be interesting to see what Ez was like when he lost control, Chris saw the way Ezra’s eyes widened across the fire, and knew that some of his need must have shown in his eyes, and the gambler had picked up on it but Chris decided he  was going to prolong it a little further, keep Ezra wrong footed.

Ezra rode in silence, he had half expected Chris to make a move on him, last night, but the gun man, had just looked at him, but those looks had been smoldering. They had been promises of what was to come. It was difficult to equate this Chris Larabee with the somber man he had first seen, there was lightness to his soul that had been missing, Ezra couldn’t stop the quirk of his lips, damn he was getting poetic, but that was the only way to describe it. The heart of his change was by now cooling his heels in Four Corners, in his mind Ezra could picture the lithe Texan’s naked body, moving under the lean body of the blond Chris Larabee, as the gun man thrust into his heat again and again, Vin head thrown backwards, as he moved, and writhed in his thrones of passion as he reached climax.

“EZRA,” Chris’s voice cut made Ezra jump, the gun man was offering him a canteen of water, his lips quirking into a smile, “looking a might flushed there Ez, think you need a drink to cool down.” Even as he said it Ezra saw the way that Chris’s gaze shifted down his body, and for what he was sure wasn’t the last time, Ezra cursed the smug fit of his grey pants. For once he was lost for words and just took the canteen, drank and handed it back, Chris took a drink, and Ezra couldn’t help but watch a small dribble of water that ran down the gun man’s chin and down his throat, how Ezra wanted to follow that trail of water, preferably with Larabee, naked and horizontal, with Vin sharing what he was sure was Chris’s unique taste.

“Pardon,” Ezra realized that Chris was talking, “I am sorry Mr. Larabee my mind was somewhere else.”

“I said we should make Eagle Bend by noon, I am looking forward to a meal and a whiskey not necessary in that order.”

“Then lead on Mr. Larabee, lead on.”

0-0-0-0

It was noon when they entered Eagle Bend it was a town on the cusp of booming, it had a new church, as well as reading room, and saloons that boasted the best looking saloon girls and a bordello where the girls wore the latest Paris dresses. Sheriff Kurt Browning was sat watching Main Street, he was honest and it was due to him and his deputies that Eagle Bend hadn’t imploded like many of the other boon towns, into dens of vice and murder. His attention and that of his deputy, who was leant against one of the posts of the porch, was on the two men that were now riding into town. The one nearest him wore all black, from the low crown of his hat to his boots, the brim shielded his face, and the man turned the horse towards him, and stopped, the rider leaning forward his hands resting on the saddle horn.

“Kurt.”

“Chris, been a while, you working?” Old time sake meant that he could ask the question, if Larabee didn’t answer, he could either push the matter or let it slide.

“Just riding through, stopping for a drink and a bed.”

Kurt tried not let his relief show, he was a good gun, didn’t get to be a sheriff without knowing the business end of a colt, but he wasn’t in Larabee’s class, the man was the fastest gun in the territory, possibly even the west, so far he had found Chris to be reasonable. Kurt liked that word, reasonable enough last time they crossed paths, to give him the name of the dead man that was walking right before he called the bastard out and gunned him down, warned or not Silver City Sid was deader than a beaver hat a split second later, and stinking up Main Street.

Looking towards the other man he was dressed in a red coat, with a black Mississippi river boat hat, a professional gambler, the man was fastidiously banging the dust from his coat and tugging the cuff of his jacket in place.

“Do I know you fancy pants,” Kurt drawled.

“The name is Ezra Standish, sheriff, now if you will excuse me gentlemen, I have work to do.” Ezra raised his hand to his hat two fingers touching the brim, and wheeled his horse away from the jail and headed down to the largest of the saloons, to get a drink and to talk the owner into giving him a table.

“He with you?”

“Yeah.”

“You still got that breed with you, Tanner.”  Kurt saw the sudden stillness in Chris and threw a hand up “just joking there Chris.”

“Vin ain’t no breed so keep your mouth of him, and Standish, Kurt, were old friends and would like to keep it that way.”

Warning given, received and understood, Kurt jerked a thumb back at an eating house just along from the jail, “join me for a coffee,” he couldn’t help but see that Chris looked towards the Golden Nugget where Standish was just disappearing through the swing doors, and he saw the gun man nod, and knee his horse towards Mrs. Evans Eatery.

Kurt walked keeping pace with the horse, the last time they had met, Vin Tanner had been with Chris, a quiet deadly presence at the gun man’s side, he hadn’t heard the young man say more than three words yet there seemed to be perfect understanding between them. Then a man  had attempted to gain a reputation by back shooting Chris had been taken down before Kurt had seen the threat, the man had staggered forward a couple of strides and collapsed, his hands clutching his stomach and trying to keep his guts from spilling out. His body had just folded in on itself and laid in a large pool of  blood, and Tanner had just stood there, wiped the blade of his bowie knife on the  bar keep’s rag and sheathed it. The locals had been baying for Tanner’s blood, but Chris had made sure they knew that to get to the younger man they would have to go through him. For a several tense minutes it looked as if the saloon was going to run with more blood, he hadn’t seen what had happened, but the bar keep had and didn’t hesitate to call it self defense, it was all he needed to avoid having to jail the young man, until the circuit riding judge came round. Chris Larabee was volatile; to say the least and he didn’t want to be the wrong side of the gun man, this time there was no Buck Wilmington to rein him in. Kurt had been pleased to see them leave town, any time a fast gun killer like Larabee was in town it was like playing with a match in a powder store.

Now Larabee was back and Tanner was missing, but there was the gambler now, what he needed was find out what Larabee was up too. 

The Golden Nugget

From the point of Ezra Standish the poker game was going well, the pile of coins in front of him was gradually increasing, as was his annoyance of the man who had introduced himself as Mick Ryan, the man was sorting through the discarded cards the deadwood, now this was frowned on, and could result in violent. But Ezra was trying to keep the tension down, and had already warned the man once, but Mick just smiled in that insincere way.  The other man tried to distance themselves, even thought they knew that by rights Mick had by looking at the deadwood forfeited his rights to that pot.

It wasn’t long after that that Mick began to loudly accuse Ezra of cheating, trying to draw the other men round the table, only to have them look down at their cards as if their very lives depended on it, but then again maybe it did.

“Sir, I have asked you already to desist from going through the discarded cards.” Ezra said his voice not raised in mark contrast to Mick’s strident tones. “You will now leave this game you have forfeited the right to play.”

Mick smirked, and got to his feet, his hand dropping over the ivory butt of his gun, “you think you can make me.”

The lines round Ezra’s mouth hardened, his reputation was all he had, no one wanted to play poker with a cheat, also if he left the game it would be seen as admitting to cheating and the others would demand their money back.

“Leave the money Standish,” the older of the other players said, “Mick here is grease lightening with a gun, not worth dying for.”

“Listen to him, leave your money you cheated out of us and you own.” Mick gloated, and those fancy pants of yours, and where call it even, won’t we boys.”

The other players kept quiet, not wanting to get pulled into the gun fight that was going to happen.

Mick went for his gun and had only just cleared leather when the bullet ploughed through his head, bursting it open like an over ripe  fruit, just as a second bullet tore through his chest whichever way you looked at it the man was dead.

Ezra looked towards the door, Chris Larabee stood there a smoking colt in his hand, Sheriff Browning came pushing through and slowed down, keeping his hands clear of his gun.

“This your work Chris?”

The black dressed gun man nodded, “Mine’s the head shot, Ez nailed him in the chest.”

Brown nodded “Any one see what happened here.”

The bartender answered, “Ryan called him a cheat,” he pointed to Ezra “ and was really pushing him, and then went for his gun first, the gambler was only protecting himself, self defense, Ryan was fast Kurt and both those guys dropped him cold,” the last part was said with awe.

Kurt scratched his jaw, “Chris gets him out of here and I expect you out of town by tomorrow.”

In a town like Eagle Bend that boasted a coach stop over, the hotel was always full, so it hadn’t turned anyone’s head when Chris and Ezra had shared a room, and Ezra wasn’t that surprised when he unlocked the bedroom door, and found one sagging double bed sat in the centre of the room, a beaten up dresser with a water jug and basin on it, and a chipped chamber pot under it, but it was clean and at least they had emptied the pot. 

Ezra dropped his saddle bags onto the bed, and then turned round, to find himself chest to chest with Chris, surprise made him take a step back, the back of his legs caught the edge of the bed and he fell back onto the bed, the breath caught in his throat as Chris loomed over him reaching out, and then grabbing the saddle bags and set them down on the floor, and walked over to look out of the window.

Ezra watched as Chris fished out one of his habitual cheroots and lit it, savoring the taste of it, Ezra knew that he had reached that point, when like in any poker game he had to show his cards. Everything that he believed told Ezra that Chris wouldn’t beat him for wanting him, that their attraction was mutual, but he still had to close the distance between them, and those few feet was as big as canyon to him at that moment. For the first time he was going to lay his hands on Chris Larabee, they would have to be careful they couldn’t allow any sound to carry outside of their room; a man could get hung for wanting another man.  Ezra could feel his heart pounding like a hammer on an anvil the blood rushing through his veins; he felt a flush of heat pool in his belly. Now or never, he walked up behind Chris, and reached round and took the cheroot out of the gun man’s hand, the blond turned, and for a long minute their eyes met. Then Ezra took a long pull on it, and slowly breathed out the smoke and then examined the glowing tip of the cheroot.

 “I have to wonder Mr. Larabee, why when it is plain that we both want the same thing.” Ezra took a breath his mouth felt dry there was no going back now, “Why we are both dancing round the subject, If I am wrong then I apologies and hope that our friendship will not be affected by it. But I feel that an apology is somewhat redundant, as I believe that we want the same thing. I am puzzled as to why?” Ezra paused.

“Why I didn’t make a move on you last night.” Chris finished for him said as he took his cheroot back and took another pull on it and then handed it back.

“I did wonder.” Ezra mused, as he shared the cheroot, the answer when it came wasn’t what he expected.

“The first time you took Vin was it out on the trail on the hard ground or was it in a clean room on a soft bed?”

“In a room, it was special, it wasn’t a quick fornication.”  Ezra said levelly.

“Then why do you think that I would want less for you Ezra.”  Chris raised an eyebrow at him.

“Because Mr. Larabee, Vin is the one you love.” Ezra said truthfully.

Chris nodded as he said “I won’t lie to you Ez, but know this I never fuck the people I care about, and I never make love to whores.”

Ezra cocked his head to one side, “then I am in a very privileged company.” He closed the small distance between them, and kissed Chris lightly on the lips, and eased back but a black clad arm wrapped round his waist and pulled him close. Chris’s voice was rough with need, “last chance to walk away Ez, once I take you, your mine, folks say I am a possessive bastard, don’t let anyone take what’s mine, you and Vin, mine, branded to the bone. You ready for that Standish.”

Ezra opened his mouth the smart words he was about to use went unsaid, and he just nodded, Chris caught his gun belt and pulled him to the bed.

The two of them came together, their gun belts hit the floor, followed by their clothes, and their need was such they fell on to the bed in a tangle of arms and legs. Ezra tried to pin Chris to the bed only to be flipped onto his back, with Chris holding him down, as the blond attacked his body with his nips and licks that had Ezra biting his lip to stop himself from crying out. When Chris suddenly pulled aback, Ezra all most yelled out at its loss, only to see Chris padding naked to the saddle bags, he admired the pay of muscles down the gun man’s back and firm ass as he moved; bending Chris pulled a tin from his bag and turned back to the bed.

“What.” Chris stood hands on his hips, glaring at him.”

“It seems a colt is not the only impressive weapon you carry, are you as fast on the draw with it, I have to ask.”

“Fast enough for you Standish,” then Chris added, “you as good with your hands when you don’t have a pack of cards in them.”

“That we will find out, Mr. Larabee.”

“Hell Ez, I am about to mount that fine ass of your, think you can call me Chris.”

“That we will have to wait and see.” He broke off as Chris stalked towards him.

“I think that.”

“Ezra.” Chris said cutting across him.

“Mr. Larabee.” But Ezra was not fated to finish his sentence.

 “You always talk this much?”

“Mr. Tanner didn’t seem to mind.” Ezra said, waiting to see what Chris would do when he reminded him of their soon to be mutual lover.

“Ez, you don’t give him a chance, no matter.”

“No matter” Ezra said.

I got me a few ideas for that mouth of yours, and talking ain’t one of them.” 

Whatever else Ezra was about to say was lost as Chris moved over him, this lean body rubbing and grinding against him, soon, Ez didn’t have the oxygen to speak, as he was taken in a toe curling kiss. That became a low moan as long grease covered fingers moved between his splayed legs, and teased him open. When he was mounted he was riding on a wave of passion, knowing only that he needed to  become one, with Chris, their first coupling was fast and furious, neither man could hold off his climax long. They came together Chris calling out Ezra’s name his face buried in the gamblers hair, as Ezra cried out Chris’s name his face buried against the gun man’s shoulder. Slowly they stilled and Chris’s lips brush Ezra’s in a soft kiss, that was as tender as their coupling was hot and hard. Pulling slowly out of him, Ezra couldn’t stop a gasp of pain, with Vin he had always taken the Texan, knowing that it was the way that Vin wanted it, but he was yet to talk Vin into taking him. He missed the feeling of being filled, of having a hard lean body pounding into him.  Chris got off the bed, and for a moment Ezra panicked, that Chris was leaving him, but the words remained unsaid and if Chris knew it, he ignored it. Coming back, he gently cleaned him up, the coaxing him onto his stomach, a strong arm hooking under his hips and drawing him up on all fours. Strong fingers spread and held him open as Chris checked for any bleeding; the kiss on the small of his back nearly undid Ezra as Chris applied some of the grease to his red and swollen pucker.

Only then was he allowed to roll onto his side, and when he opened his arms Chris moved into them, and tugged the blankets up round them.

“Mr. Tanner.” Ezra said.

“What about Vin.”

“I’ll have to thank him.”

“Yeah, but I have a better idea.” Chris said.

“And that is Mr. Larabee?” Ezra asked.

“We get a bigger bed, and show him what he missed.”

“An excellent idea Mr. Larabee.” Ezra drawled, and then yawned, only to be pulled closer, snuggling into the lean warm body that he never thought he would have, Ezra slept the sleep of the just.

When Chris woke up, he found the bed next to him was empty and two words on a piece of paper Four Corners.  Chris stormed out of the room, muttering under his breath as he strode to the livery stable to get his horse, first Vin and now Ez, he was going to have to teach those boys some manners.

0-0-0-0-0

On the trail

Ezra yawned and squinted up at the sun as he rode, God it was an unearthly hour to be up in the morning, but needs must and he was impatient to get to Four Corners first and make sure that Vin was alright. Perhaps have a little alone time with the Texan before Chris arrived,  still it was a pity he couldn’t see Chris’s face when he woke up and found that note, he was  sure it would be a real picture.  The black clad gun man wasn’t used to having the tables turned on him; it would be interesting to see how he reacted. Ezra applied his heels to Knave’s side and encouraged his horse into a loping mile eating stride, edger to get to Four Corners.

He had had little hope for town, but it would be an opportunity to make some money, from the locals, but the biggest shock had been Mr. Tanner, the bounty hunter had been wearing an apron, AN APRON, as he had lifted boxes and sacks into a waiting wagon. He had all but pulled Knave to a halt in shock, but had recovered quick enough not to draw attention to himself. He studied Vin carefully drinking in his lover,  he was clean shaven, that was a first for Mr. Tanner, his brown hair fairly shimmering in the sun light, freshly washed, his shirt clean, even his boots had been dusted down, and somehow he had been shoe horned out of that disreputable jacket of his.  Looking at him like that Ezra fell for the handsome Texan all over again, his heart pounding quickly as he saw the stretch of the pants and shirt against that lean body as he picked up the goods to stow them on the wagon.  Those strong legs and firm ass, it was then he saw the looks that some of the young women gave as they walked past, it seemed it was not only him that was appreciating the view.  He felt like screaming from the roof top that Vin was his, was theirs he corrected himself as the picture of a certain blond gun man popped into his head.  Then a voice called Vin back into the store, and his Texan lover was gone. Not that Ezra needed it, a smile lit up his face at the thought of his lithe lover, naked except for that apron, laid sprawled onto the bed, the ….. Ezra muttered under his breath as he pulled Knave round, he had ridden past the saloon, so lost had he been by his fantasy. Dismounting Ezra tied Knave to the hitching rail allowing him to reach the full trough of water, and slacked his girth, and then with a bounce to his step Ezra entered the saloon. Looking round it didn’t take long for him to locate his marks, a group of Yankee cowboys.

0-0-0-0-0

It was six hours later that Chris rode into the town, and made his way to the nearest saloon Diggers Dan's, it was a piss poor excuse for a saloon, but it had whiskey and that was all that mattered. 

When trouble came, and an innocent man was going to be hung, Chris stepped out onto the street, looking towards the store opposite; he had seen Vin there earlier the deadly young tracker dressed in clean clothes and a white apron, welding a broom, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Chris paused, and waited a heartbeat, and then Vin Tanner stood in the doorway of the store, whatever he said had the owner of the store throwing up his hands in despair, then Vin looked up and their eyes met, and Vin walked across to him, his Winchester rifle canted against his shoulder.

“Chris.”

“Vin,” Chris smirked as he added “nice apron,” as he nodded towards the store.

Good naturally Vin drawled “Fuck you Larabee.”

“Only if you’re lucky,” Chris replied as he began to walk down the street, heading towards the cemetery and the hanging tree where the cowboys were going to execute the black healer, Vin has halted at his words, a look of pure surprise on his face, then he hurried a couple of paces and then dropped into step with him, the smile on Vin’s face was one of pure devilment, as they headed towards their destiny.

_The end_


	6. Four Corners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now finally in Four Corners the Seven are complete

_As Nathan Jackson is being dragged out to be hung, two men step out onto the street to rescue him, Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner._

The cowboys that had tried to hang the healer of Four Corners had died in a flurry of gunfire.

Chris Larabee stood there reloading his colt. The pretty blond haired woman in the red dress came up and introduced herself as Mary Travis, the editor of the local paper. She was ignored, Chris’s focus was on Vin, he looked at him and smiled, of all the things he could have said to him it was just one word. “Saloon.”

Vin returned the smile “saloon,” he confirmed, and the two of them with Nathan Jackson falling in step with them they headed for the nearest watering hole.

Chris’s mind was on the kid that had tried to help them, it was the same one that had joined the posse, he could be a problem he knew about the wanted poster on Vin. But since he had seen the sheriff and deputy high tailing it out of town, there wasn’t any law to worry about. He shrugged if the kid tried to make a play for the bounty, he would just be one more body cooling in the street, no one was going to take Vin away from him, and those that tried would face his gun.

He had seen Vin’s expression grow hard when he had looked at the kid, more than likely the Texan had recognized him from the posse, but there was more to it than that he was sure. It was then Chris remembered that the kid had gone off with the other men after Ezra, and given what happened to the gambler, that he had been beaten and raped he was surprised that the kid, Dunne, that was his name was still alive. He made a mental note to ask Vin, what had happened because as he saw it the only reason the kid was still breathing must have been that he hadn’t actually touched Ezra. But that could wait for the moment he was just pleased to see that Vin was alright and his smile grew wider and his Texan would find that payback was a bitch.

0-0-0-0-0

The Saloon

Ezra was playing the cowboys to perfection; he had played a number of hands of cards with them, and drunk a good part of a bottle of whiskey that he had brought in with him. The bar keep had objected until he had paid for a couple of rounds of drinks for his good friends the cowboys, his drunken sweeping hand gesture had knocked his bottle over and he had just managed to rescue it before the precious whiskey had run out of it. The cowboys, Yankees to a man had thought they had a drunken Reb gambler on the ropes and at their mercy ready to fleece him. Now apart from as Ezra considered it a much misplaced pride in their abilities to play cards, they liked their horses, guns and they considered themselves a marksman to a man. So it didn’t take much for him to allow himself to be talked into a shooting contest, the target an ace of spades pinned to a dart board.

The cowboys had turned towards the door as the most mismatched pair of men walked into the saloon, the bar keep put down the dirty cloth he was wiping the bar with, “Don’t serve Indians in here, you  best go,  don’t want any trouble.” He nodded his head towards the cowboys, who had started to get to their feet their game with the gambler forgotten, their hands moving towards their guns.

The  bar keep reached under his counter and pulled out a shotgun, “now boys this is loaded with rock salt, it’s going to hurt like hell, if you get an ass load of it, so back off, their leaving ain’t you?”

The Indian nodded and reaching out grabbed the arm of the man with him, and the two left whatever they wanted left unsaid. Ezra met the bar keep’s eyes levelly, as he pushed the derringer back into the carriage that housed it strapped to his forearm. The man looked at him puzzled and then his eyes opened a little wider as he realized that the drunk, gambler wasn’t as drunk as he thought, he was about to open his mouth when Ezra touched a finger to his lip for silence. Then reaching down Ezra took a long pull on his whiskey bottle waved it in the air “now surhs to  business, I believe we had a wager,” he drawled his voice slurring making his southern accent thicker, as the cowboys turned back towards him, it was then he appeared to lost his balance and  landed with a bang in the chair, almost taking it backwards, only for the chair to be caught by a big man, with salt and pepper hair, and long face that only a mother could love who had come up behind him through a side door.

The older man righted it, pushing it back onto all four legs; there was concern in his brown eyes as he looked at the group of cowboys and that at him. Ezra saw the heavy cross hanging from a leather throng round the man’s neck, and shook his head; all he needed was a holy roller to put a crimp in his game.

“I thank you surh for your help.”

“Any time son,” the big man said, his hand brushing Ezra’s shoulder as the gambler tried to move out from under it.

The  bar keep interrupted “Told you Josiah you’re not welcome here until you pay for that chair and table you busted up.” When the older man, Josiah turned to him the bar keep looked as if he was about to make a dash for the nearest exit, either that or fill his pants.

“Peace is all a man needs in life brother,” Josiah laid down a couple of dollars and then walked out, but not before Ezra found himself pinned by those brown eyes, he suppressed a shudder, and he felt as if they were seeing down to his very soul, but Ezra shook it off and said mockingly.

“That gentleman your local padre.”

“Old Josiah,” the bar keeps said, “well he’s a preacher all right, but he’s strictly Old Testament, caught a man cheating at cards and well gambler, and was strictly eye for an eye.”

Just then one of the cowboys loomed over Ezra, giving his shoulder a hard grip, “you ready to take that shot gambler, or are you rebs all yellow belly cowards ain’t got the guts to   back your mouth up.”

“You first,” Ezra drawled and took another pull on the watered down whiskey he had been drinking all afternoon.

The cowboy drew his gun and turned round making sure all his friends could see him, and then took a bead on the ace of spades and fired, the bullet hit the card but missed the center, and even so it was greeted with cheers. Ezra made a play of getting to his feet, he drained the last of the watered whiskey and let the bottle fall at his side, and then with exaggerated care pulled the gun from his shoulder holster, and then took a step forwards his heel catching on the bottle sending him staggering as he fired and the stuffed bird above the dart board lost its head in a shower of sawdust much to the enjoyment of the cowboys.

Ezra immediately began to protest, and it didn’t take much an extra ten added to the pot to give him the chance to have another go at the target.  It was then as he turned that he saw Chris and Vin walk into the saloon, and felt the tension drain from him, the odds had just improved, he would play his hand out, but at least if it went bad, he had two men to watch his back. His gaze swept over the other man with them, he had heard one of the cowboys talking about a black healer seeing to their boss and that must be the man, Ezra ignored him, the man wasn’t armed and that was all that mattered to him. Chris and Vin propped themselves up on the counter, and he same the gunman indicate the three of them wanted a drink and to leave the bottle.

It was then that it went to hell in a hand basket; one cowboy a rough uncouth man was particularly suspicious, after he had unloaded his gun into the center of the ace, all five bullets sharing the same bullet hole as the first, the man unsporting welded a knife that had nearly impaled his hand   to the counter, when he had reached for his hard earned money.

Sore losers the bain of his profession, the man hadn’t backed off   and had tried to back shoot him, and he had used the mirror to shoot the man, it was then he found himself facing down a whole gang of angry cowboys.

Ezra edged his way along the bar all the time keeping his back to what was possibly the two most dangerous men in the whole saloon, perhaps the whole town. He heard his lover’s soft Texan drawl as he said “Nice shot, pard.” Ezra couldn’t help but smile giving him a cocky smile flashing his gold tooth “Dreadful. I was aiming to kill him but the... mirror was cracked.”

A quick glance at Chris and Ezra thought oh oh, it appeared that Mr. Larabee wasn’t sharing the Texan’s humor of the situation. Chris was turned facing him, one hand resting on his gun, the other wrapped round his glass, and if looks could kill he would have been stone dead before he took another step.  Mr. Larabee, Ezra mused had seen him play cards but this was the first time the gunman had caught him in a con, and it would be one that had blown up in his face. But with Vin and Chris covering him he felt safe, he had had cons go sour before, and had been lucky to survive the wrath of the marks. For the first time in his life this was different he was protected by two men that would never turn their backs on him, Ezra caught his breath, where the hell had that come from.  He was jolted back to the present when he heard Chris say in that deadly whisper of his, which showed the gunman was still simmering with anger, “first shot was louder than the other five.” 

What are you attempting to suggest? Ezra asked as he continued edging his way along the   bar, his movements quick, as he used the derringer to try and cover the cowboys, deciding to try for    indignation, but the look on Chris’s face showed he had failed.

“First bullet was real. The rest were blanks,” Chris drawled.

“Well, sir... I abhor gambling and as such, leave nothing to chance.”  Ezra drawled, seeing the understanding in Chris’s eyes.

The job offer from Chris had been out of the blue “We're looking for guns to protect an Indian village. You interested?”

“Who’s financing?”

“The village. Five dollars a man.” Ezra could hear the amusement in the gunman’s voice, it was a shock to realize that only a couple of weeks ago he would never have been able to detect that in the black clad gunman, but now he saw the depths to the man.  

“Five dollars... wouldn't even pay for my bullets. Would, uh... would he be riding with you?” Ezra nodded to Nathan. He saw the hostility in the healer’s face and knew that the man was judging him by his accent, seeing him as nothing more than a bigoted southerner, but he didn’t care what people thought. The man was a healer not a gunman, which would put his lovers at risk if they decided to go through with the insanity of protecting a village. If the man got pissed off by him and left now all the better.

“Not interested.” The two words were a warning to his lovers that he wanted to discuss it further in a less public place.”

“Reckon you should be leaving town anyway.” Vin said, but the subtext was plain it was time for him to get his ass out of that place.

“I'll sleep on it.” Ezra shot back, then with a saluted them with two fingers to his hat and was out of the saloon. The cowboys would have gone after him, ready to carve their lost money out of his hide, if they hadn’t seen the way that the long haired man cocked the Winchester in his hand, and the gunman’s long fingers caressed the butt of his gun a clean warning to stay put. 

This time Ezra knew that no pack of drunks would be trying to run him down. Even so Ezra quickly slipped down the side of the building and doubled back along the back of the saloon, past the privies and then headed for the hotel. He guessed that Chris would be going there, the gunman would want to claim Vin tonight, and from what he had said earlier he knew that he would want a hotel room for that.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Back in the saloon Nathan looked at Chris puzzled “Why would we want to use a cheater?” Nathan asked, but Chris didn’t answer he just exchanged a look with Vin, and the two men drained their drinks and pushed away from the bar.

“Meet you at the livery stable at dawn tomorrow Nathan, we got us some men to recruit.” Chris drawled.

The gunman strode down the street with Vin next to him, “that tricky son of a bitch I am going to make him pay for playing a stunt like that.”

“Ez ain’t going to change for you cowboy.”

Chris stopped so quickly that Vin carried on past him for a few paces, “Don’t call me cowboy.”

“Well Chris, got to look at this way, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s a duck, that’s what my ma use to say.”

“Meaning.” Chris’s voice had dropped to a deadly whisper that would have most people heading for the hills.

Vin just grinned and continued walking, he heard Chris spit a curse at him and the word uppity tracker was the least of it. “So where we going to find men, for this Chris, if the tribe is looking for help and are coming to white men, they must really need it.”

“Buck Wilmington.”  Chris paused “he’s in town” when he saw the look that Vin gave him, he said “old Buck likes his ladies, he won’t leave town until he either runs out of money or women.”

“He’ll come with us?”

“If we can get him out of bed.” Chris smiled.

“How good a friend is he?” Vin asked, remembering the deputy that helped him escape from jail.

“He stood by me when I lost Sarah and Adam, until I drove him away, he’s a good man, can trust him with your money, your life and your wife, but not with your woman.”  Chris reached a hand out and it brushed Vin’s arm, the touch was fleeing, but the message it gave was simple. Buck had been a friend nothing more; he was no risk to their relationship. 

Half an hour later, Buck Wilmington was scrabbling for his clothes as an irate husband pounded on the door of the bedroom, with a lingering kiss he was out of the window just as the door came flying open. Vin stood there gave the woman a smile, and drawled “Sorry, ma’am wrong room,” and tipped his hand to her as he left.

Buck lost his balance with his pants wrapped round his legs and rolled off the roof and hit the ground, struggling to get to his feet it was then he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in a year.

“Afternoon, Buck. Interrupt something?”

Buck’s face lit up “Chris.” Then Buck had closed the distance between them, the delight in his voice was pain to hear. “Hi. Hey, you old war dog! Good to see you, buddy. How you doing?”He grabbed Chris in a patient Buck Wilmington bear hug lifting the gunman off his feet.  

Chris pushed him away, his pleasure at seeing his old friend written on his face “Easy, big fella. Folks will talk.” He said as he noticed one of the passing locals looking scandalised by Buck’s dress or rather lack of it.  

Vin had come through the door in time to see Buck laughing and pulling his pants up, Chris put the deal to him, he knew that Buck would accept especially if he was the kind of friend that he had been to Chris. But Buck all the same made him uneasy, if Buck was such a good friend of Chris’s he was sure as hell not going to take kindly to him taking his place at the gunman’s side. Buck Wilmington was a puzzle that Vin knew he had to solve, but for the moment he would just stand back and watch what happens, but one thing was sure he wasn’t going to give Chris up for anyone.

He was pulled back to the present when he heard Buck say “It's just our kind of fight. How'd you know I was here?”

Chris had answered Buck with a smile “I make a point of knowing who's in town. Live longer that way.”

It was then that Buck had looked past Chris and focused on him as he came up and stood close to the gunman, he had done it to enforce the point making sure that Buck could see that his place was by Chris’s side, and if Buck was willing to accept that, he wouldn’t have a problem with the bigger man. But he wouldn’t be forced away from Chris by the older man, no matter what his history with Chris was.  

It was then Vin saw Buck frown, the older man didn’t look pleased to see him, and his “he with us,” remark was said with barely veiled hostility. Buck knew they rode together, and he was pretty sure had saved his neck because of it. Wilmington already knew that answer but he wanted it confirmed by Chris. 

Chris had just nodded, but his smile had now what Vin recognised as an edge of warning to it, Buck looked away and then nodded, “then imagine I am in,” he had said, as he threw his gun belt over one shoulder his shirt and jacket clutched in his right hand, and his left arm round Chris and walked him towards the nearest saloon, trying his damned best Vin thought to ignore him.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Buck’s joy of being reunited with  Chris was hard for him to put into words, Chris was his oldest friend, and when he had married, Sarah had embraced him as a brother, and he had willingly taken the role of uncle to Adam. But it had all ended too quickly in a burned out ranch house, and deep in his heart he blamed himself. Chris had wanted to return, but he was with Maria and had begged another night, that one night had made all the difference. He had tried to help Chris through his grief but had finally been driven away by Chris’s violent out bursts, that had left him bleeding in the street on too many times, he had kept an eye on Chris and kept as close as he could , but he had despaired of getting back what they once had had. Knowing in his heart that some day he would hear that Chris had been gunned down in some senseless gun fight.

Then one day he had heard a rumour from a buffalo hunter that Chris Larabee was now riding with Vin Tanner, the man had been scathing about Tanner, telling how he had turned from buffalo hunter into becoming a bounty killer, calling Vin a white renegade more savage then civilized. That had been enough for Buck he hadn’t bothered to ask why the man hated Vin so much, what he said must be the truth, and Tanner had to have a reason why he was riding with Chris, clinging to him like some blood sucking leach.

As a lawman it hadn’t taken Buck long to hear what he was waiting for, confirmation of the reason that Tanner was riding with Chris. Marshal Tim Lincoln has come into town, and over a beer or two had told him about how Vin Tanner had been cornered in a bar in Twin Butte by some men that had taken offence at the fact that the bounty hunter had brought in his last bounty dead over the back of their horses.  Lincoln had told him what happened next, that Larabee had gunned down three gunman to save his life, end of story, that Vin was using Chris as protection that was certain or so Buck thought.  

Buck continued walking, okay so Vin was using Chris for protection but Chris was no man’s fool he must be getting something of the friendship. It was because he wasn’t sure of how things stood that he had helped Vin escape when he had been in danger.  He hadn’t done it for the Texan but as a favour to Chris, who couldn’t afford to lose another friend now he would have the opportunity to study the two of them up close. But as he walked he shot a glance across at Vin heaven help Tanner if he was using Chris, because regardless of what Chris did he would hang the younger man out to dry before he let him send Chris tumbling back into the black void of despaired he had been in.

0-0-0-0-0-0

For the next couple of hours Buck was sat in the saloon catching up on old times with Chris, he noticed that Vin sat quietly at Chris’s side a silent watchful shadow, seated so that he could watch both entrances to the saloon, as he slowly sipped his beer, the only drink that he accepted, waving away the offer of whiskey. But the bounty hunter took no part in their conversations, content it seemed to allow the two old friends to talk.

The swing doors of the saloon opened and Buck saw Vin lean forward in his seat, the younger man’s hand dropped down to rest on the mare’s leg he was carrying.  It was then Chris turned glanced at Vin and then followed his line of sight to the young man that had just walked in. Vin started to get to his feet and Buck saw Chris’s hand grab Vin’s wrist, and hold him in place, for a long second it seemed that Chris and Vin just looked each other in the eye, and then there was a shift of balance of power. Vin eased back down again into his seat and Chris released his hold. It was then that Chris turned his attention to the young man that had entered the saloon.

Now Buck had heard about Dunne, that the kid had tried to help out, when his help hadn’t been needed and been shot down verbally by Chris. Buck knew he had to do something before words where replaced by bullets.

Getting to his feet, draining his glass with a flourish, Buck, went over caught Dunne, and propelled him to the bar, and pinned him effortless, all the time beaming as if he and the kid where old friends.

“Listen to me kid, Chris ain’t too friendly at the moment, so I think you should think really carefully if you want to go and piss him off.”

“I heard you’re looking for guns, I am good with these.” JD brushed his hands over the butts of his colts. 

Buck shook his head, “Now kid.”

“My name’s JD, not kid.” The younger man interrupted his face starting to flush red with embarrassment or frustration at not being taken seriously.

“Sure it is kid.” Buck said “but you don’t have the experience to do what were going to do, and a liability could get us all killed.”

JD pushed away from the bar, brushing Buck’s hand off him and stalked out of the bar, Buck shook his head “the folly of youth.” He looked back to the table, and saw that Chris had now turned back to Vin, his head near to the Texan’s. Vin nodded a couple of times, and then got up and left the saloon, a few minutes later Chris drained his drink, and then walked out pausing only to pat him on the shoulder. “Dawn, the livery stable, be there Buck,” then he was gone, that was old Chris, Buck mused part warning part invite, and he wouldn’t have that ornery son of a bitch any other way.

Chris stopped on the boardwalk outside of the saloon, and headed towards the hotel. He walked past the store and then stopped as a splash of blue caught his eye; he turned and then entered it.

The store owner, a mature, well dressed woman, came over and favored him with a smile. “Can I help you sir?”

“The blue bandana and the Hoyle.” Chris said, and waited while the woman, collected the book, and then from a drawer took out a blue bandana and laid it on the counter, and smoothed it out with her fingers. 

“A fine choice Sir.” But at the same time Chris could hear the question mark in her voice, a man that wore all black buying a blue bandana. But that didn’t matter, they would be leaving town soon, and it matched Vin’s eyes, and the Hoyle, he couldn’t wait to see Ezra’s face when he gave him the Hoyle the holy bible of gaming rules.

She was just stowing the purchases in a paper sack when Mary Travis came in, Gloria Potter, heard what Mary said to the man in black, and the next minute he had snarled back at her thrown the money on the counter, snatched up his purchases and left. Gloria exhaled “Why on earth did you say that to him, Mary.”

When Mary Travis went to open her mouth, Gloria continued, “that was mean spirited to say that to him about his family, I expected more of you than that.”

“Gloria I just wanted him to know, that I understood what he was going through.” Mary tried to explain.

“You wanted a story, pure and simple, I heard about the shooting, Virgil was really worried that Vin would be killed,” when she saw the puzzled look she added, “the young man that was working in the store.” Gloria shook her head when Mary looked blankly at her, Mary was a good woman, but there were those that she believed to be under her, and Vin had been one of them, those people she just didn’t see, turning a blind eye to them. “That is not important, you want that man for a story, and I grieve for your loss Mary, but leave that man alone.”

Mary turned on her heels and left with a flurry, leaving Gloria Potter shaking her head, as she put the other bandanas away.

0-0-0-0-0

Buck watched Chris leave the saloon and he turned his attention to Vin Tanner, the bounty hunter had slowly finished his beer, and then left by the rear entrance, ignoring all attempts to be drawn into conversation besides the odd yes or no. Finally Buck had given up; he scratched his jaw thoughtfully, as he watched Vin disappear through the door, and frowned, at the roughness of his stubble. Now a man that loved the ladies as surely as Buck did, had a certain standard of appearance to keep up so he had headed to the barber. 

Buck was enjoying his shave and was talking to the barber, hands moving as he described the twins that he had bedded, when the razor pricked against his throat, and he heard Chris’s voice, it was a deadly whisper. Then just as quickly as he came Chris was gone. Leaving Buck swallowing hard, there was a cold fury in his old friend, which you unleashed at your peril, when he had told him that his business was his own, all that was the killer in Chris Larabee had come to the surface. Buck knew that he had made a bad mistake there. He truly had meant no harm when he told Mrs. Travis about Chris’s history, but he had near enough crossed the line that could have got him killed.

0-0-0-0

The Swan Hotel

The hotel wasn’t the best in town, but boasted clean bed clothes and a metal tub, that for a price could be carried to any of the rooms, along with a couple of buckets of hot water. Chris Larabee had booked two rooms; taking the one that over looked the main street, while the other room was next door round the corner overlooking the alleyway.

As he walked across the small lobby of the hotel to collect his key, he saw Ezra seated on one of the overstuffed armchairs, the gambler lowered his newspaper, and their eyes met, Chris saw the miniscule nod of the head towards the stairs, plucked his key from the fingers of the owner, and took the stairs two at a time. He didn’t have to look back to know that Ezra would be following him.

When Chris opened the door, Vin was sat straddling the chair, his arms resting on the back, “Took your time cowboy.”

“Had a visit to make.” Chris snapped back, and then pushed his hat back so that it hung from the storm straps, and ran a hand through his blond hair, “Buck.”

“What he do.”

“Shot his mouth off as usual.” Chris said

“So why are you angry?”

Chris opened his mouth, but Vin beat him to it, “you know the man, he ever do anything to harm you cowboy, he got a mean streak in him.”

“No,” Chris agreed, and then accepted the bottle that Vin picked up from the floor near his chair and handed it across. “Buck’s brains are in his pants, he sees a pretty girl and his dick does the thinking.”

Chris saw Vin smile at him as he said “then why you’re angry Chris.”  The gunman swore under his breath, and took another drink. Then he turned his complete attention on Vin, and his lips twitched as he saw the way that Vin shifted in his seat.

Just as Chris started towards him, there was a knock on the door, Chris opened the door, to find Ezra leant against the door jamb, “Mr. Larabee,” he said stepping past the gunman, “Mr. Tanner,” he added greeting the tracker as the door was closed behind him and locked, then took his place at Chris’s side both of the looming over Vin.

Vin looked up at them, “there a problem boys,” he drawled, with not a care in the world.

“You left us kinda of hanging back there Vin,” Chris said.

“Thought you should get a chance to get to know each other, seems to have worked.” Vin said smugly.

“In more ways that you could imagine Mr. Tanner, in more ways than you can imagine” Ezra favored his lover with a knowing smile, devilment playing in his eyes “we discussed you at some length, and Mr. Larabee and I came up with a few ideas that you will find very interesting.”

Vin started to get up, but it was too late and Chris’s hand came down on his left shoulder pushing him back down on the chair, at the same time as Ezra did the same on his right shoulder. Ezra’s southern accent thickened as he said “it’s time we talked Mr. Tanner, or better still showed you.”

0-0-0-0-0

There had been no discussion between them, aside from the odd joke at what they would do when they caught up with Vin, but Ezra knew that he would have to be the steadying influence on the two other men. Chris was dark and intense, his emotions kept bottle up since the death of his family, could overwhelm the Texan, Vin had already run once from Chris once, so Ezra saw it as his duty to  bring the two of them together, allow them to see into each other’s hearts, and lay at peace the demons  that they both carried.

Ezra bent down and kissed Vin softly on the lips, and then as he leaned back he looked to Chris and nodded, an invite that the gunman took up, leaning in to claim Vin’s lips in a kiss of his own, but like Ezra he kept his kiss light. When he moved back, Ezra took his place again, each time they exchanged places, the kisses where longer and deeper, until they were leaving Vin breathless.

Kneeling down Ezra reached out and began to slowly undo the buttons of the old shirt that Vin was wearing, parting it to expose his chest, only then did he kiss the Texan’s throat, trailing hot kisses down Vin’s chest, and then began to nip and suck at the hard pebbled nipples, breathing over the sensitive nubs making Vin’ groan his body arching from the back of the chair as he tried to increase the sensation. Vin’s head rolled back his groan of pleasure was captured by Chris as he kissed the younger man, his tongue probing Vin’s mouth, savoring his sweet unique taste.

Ezra unbuckled Vin’s gun belt, leaving it hanging down by the chair, then his  nibble fingers  unbuttoned Vin’s fly, his hand massaging and fondling the growing bulge  through the threadbare draws, that the Texan wore, feeling Vin grow harder he knew they were ready to take this further. Vin wanted this, his body wouldn’t lie to them,  the Texan has to be kept off balance,  couldn’t be allowed to think, when that happened Vin would allow his past to dictate his future.  They would carry Vin with them on a wave of passion that would leave him with not doubt as to the fact that he as treasured and loved by them both.

Chris had broken his kiss and was attacking with relish Vin’s chest, with nips and kisses, tonguing the stinging nipples, as Vin buried his hand into the blond hair of his soon to be lover, encouraging him. His blue eyes closed against the sensation that was wracking his body, Vin’s eyes flew open as Ezra’s mouth closed on his straining cock, the flick of tongue and Vin’s mind went into melt down.  He was so near to the edge, that all it takes much more to push him over, his cry of completion was lost in the kiss that Chris stole from him. The next thing that  Vin knew he was still sat in the chair, his body limp and drained, Ezra was  knelt in front of him the fistulous southerner dabbing at his mouth with his silk handkerchief, as Chris stood taking a drink from the gambler’s flask. The cool breeze from the window, played down Vin’s body, and he looked down to find that he clothing was open from throat to groin, he felt his face flame red, and he clutched at this shirt looking down at this hands avoiding looking at Chris and Ezra as he tried to do the buttons up, his fingers fumbling with them. Ezra’s fingers covered his, stilling them.

“Mr. Tanner, please, look at me.”

“I am getting it, you made your point.”

Ezra glanced up at Chris and saw the gunman shrug, “What point would that be Mr. Tanner.”

“You have your fun,” Vin nodded to Chris, “learned my lesson.”

“Mr. Tanner this was just the start, this had nothing to do with you leaving us the shack, err cabin,” Ezra amended seeing the look that Chris gave him, and he continued quickly not giving Vin chance to say anything. But all the time his mind was whirling did Vin really think that this was all he was to them a bit of fun, a payback surely their time together had meant more than that to him.

Vin tried to pull his hands free, “ain’t going to put on a show again, passed between you like a dollar whore.”

The word again, echoed through Ezra’s mind, what the hell had happened to Vin in the past, to make him think that he was not loved and that he was only to be used.

“Vin,” the use of his first name from Ezra made the Texan look up. Ezra kept his hand on Vin’s “You have no idea what you mean to us, and how much we have missed you, these last few days,  but if you feel threatened by the depth of our feeling and you want to leave this room  we will respect that.”

Chris tensed as Ezra said that, but the gunman remained quiet, for the moment, and Ezra gave up a silent prayer not to mess this up, if he needed all his talents of speech it was now because Vin looked as skittish as all hell, so he continued.

“But we would like the opportunity to show you how much you mean to both of us.

Chris nodded and then as Ezra looked at him encouragingly Chris said “that’s the truth Vin, I won’t lie to you, I want  you  more than life its self,  but I’ll take whatever you want to give , and  I’ll think  myself lucky and I know that Ez feels the same.”

Chris reached out and lightly placed his hand on the side of Vin’s face, pleased when he didn’t pull away, he could almost hear Vin’s mind spinning and then Vin nodded “think I could do that.”

0-0-0-0-0

Chris let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding, he hadn’t lied he would take whatever Vin could give him, Chris  removed his coat and gun belt handing it by the head of the bed close to hand, and then removed his boots and sat on the edge of the bed.  He watched as Vin got shakily to his feet, his knees still weak from the violence of his relief, but Ezra was there to take him lightly by the arm and steer him over to the bed. Vin held his hand out to him, for a long moment Chris just held Vin’s hand looking up at him, as younger stood nervously by the side of the bed.

 “Ain’t going to bite you cowboy,” Chris said to him, pleased when he saw Vin smile at him for the first time since he had come into the room. 

Vin allowed himself to be drawn down onto the bed and into his arms, Chris cuddled him close, the gunman couldn’t help a soft chuckle from escaping as he thought what people would think if they knew that the big bad assed Larabee liked to cuddle with his loved ones.

Ezra looked as if he was about to leave, but Chris wasn’t going to allow that. “Joining us Ez?”

The gambler looked guilty as if he was caught cheating, “I was going to allow you to get acquainted.”

Chris felt Vin tense in his arms, and rubbed his back reassuringly, “Get your ass in bed Standish, don’t make me get out and make you.” Chris said as he lowered his head to rest against Vin, making himself keep still as he felt Vin’s fingers undo the buttons on his black shirt.

Ezra quickly undressed to his pants and shirt and slipped onto the  bed, curling up onto against Vin on his side, wrapping an arm round the Texan’s waist and pressing a kiss to the back of his neck, “I am here Mr. Tanner, nothing bad will happen I promise you, you are love here.”

The brush of Vin’s fingers on Chris bare skin as he peeled the black shirt back made a warmth spread through the gunman, and it was as if the icy hold on his heart began to thaw, Vin hesitated as if unsure, so Chris spoke softly to him, reassuring him, at the same time as Ezra’s hands moved over Vin’s body easing the tension in the lithe body,  slowly the feather light touches of Vin’s fingers moved again almost timidly,  the questing hand stroking down the gunman’s lean body. His hand fumbled on Chris’ belt, and Vin pulled back, his head down, “allow me Mr. Tanner.” Ezra said smoothly and expertly unbuckling the belt and unbuttoning Chris’s fly. Only then did he take Vin’s hand he felt the Texan flinch, and placed it on its prize. Vin turned his head, and Ezra raised himself up so that he could capture the Texan’s mouth in a kiss, as Chris pushed his own pants and draws down, exposing his body for the first time, Vin broke the kiss and looked down, his mouth opening in a quickly taken breath of surprise.  Vin felt Ezra undo his braces and didn’t resist when his own clothes were pulled down, as Chris rolled him over so that he was on top of the gunman, Chris’s arms wrapped round Vin, as their bodies came together as they lips joined in a kiss.

Slowly they moved together, their pre-cum slickening helping them move against each other in an intricate dance of need, Vin broke the kiss with a rasping groan as he began to move more freely, allowing his body to dictate his need. Grinding against Chris, his breath coming quicker as they reached towards climax, Vin buried his face against Chris’s shoulder as he came, the name he cried out muted, as he heard his name cried out by the gunman, even as the man bit back the cry.

Shuddering from the after tremors of the climax, Vin’s body sank down onto Chris, his hands fluttering over the gunman as he tried to calm him, as Chris’s own hands mapped his body. He didn’t resist as Ezra helped free him of the rest of his clothes, and he was pulled into the gamblers arms. Yawning Vin pressed his a face against Ezra’s chest, then he felt the warmth of skin to skin as now an equally naked Chris Larabee spooned up behind him, Chris’s chest pressed to his back, his ass pressed to the gunman’s groin, a warm wrapped round his waist and a flat hand pressed to his stomach.

Ezra drew his face up and took him in a long kiss, before today he hadn’t been kissed many times in his life since his mother died, most working girls gave their bodies but kissing a man was considered too intimate and they shied away from it. So these kisses  they gave him meant so much to him, you didn’t kiss someone you just wanted to fuck, you didn’t touch them so lovingly. There was a lot to think about but no now.

Ezra’s lips were warm on his, and he could taste himself on the gambler, be buried one hand in side of Ezra’s shirt, his hand caressing the smooth skin, as he pressed his face against Ezra’s neck, and inhaled, the gambler always smelt nice, from the soap that he used. When he felt Ezra’s hand on him those slender fingers that could deal a card from anywhere in the pack stroke him, he couldn’t help but push his hips forward wanting, no needing to increase his contact with those talented fingers. At the same time as he trailed his hand up to wrapped it round Ezra’s neck and pulled his head down so that he could increase kiss, this time hotly plundering the gamblers mouth, taking control of the kiss.

When the memories bubbled up in this mind, of being trapped in the bathhouse by a gang of drunk horney, straight of the trail cowhands reared up, Vin pushed it ruthlessly down, the way Chris and Ezra were touching him now, he knew that he was loved, he wasn’t just a hole to be poked, but loved and respected. Each word they whispered to him, each hand that touched him enforced that. So when Chris’s hand guided his thigh up and forward to rest on Ezra’s opening him up, he didn’t panic, when he felt finger press inside of him, as the warm grease was used to ease the way of his preparing him signed in contentment.

When Chris pressed into him, he felt as if he was breaking apart, only Ezra had ever taken him with such loving care, when he opened his mouth to complain, Ezra beat him too it. “You better not being about to complain Mr. Tanner, or else.”

“What” Vin managed to breathe the word out, only to tail off with a gasp as Chris’s questing fingers brushed his pleasure spot, making him buck and try to press down harder on the tantalizing fingers.

“Fuck do that again Chris.” Vin demanded his breath catching in his throat.

“Bossing little devil ain’t he.” Chris said as he pressed a kiss to Vin’s shoulder, before nibbling at this throat. But all the same he twisted his fingers and Vin’s body bucked and grinded back on his hand.

Only when Vin was ready, did Chris take him, clamping down on his own bodies needs he slide slowly into  Vin, waiting for the younger man’s body to accept him, before moving again until he was deeply seated inside of him, by then Vin’s body was trembling, and sweat covered. His mouth was opening and closing as he rode the sensation that run through him.

“Fuck me” Vin breathed the two words. Only for Chris to pull out of him, with a moan Vin tried to push back but his hips where held tight.

“Never fuck you Vin, only fuck whores, I make love to the people I care about,” Chris told him repeating what he had said to Ezra.  On the heel of the word he pushed back in, hitting the gland, and making Vin body shake as he bit back the cry of pleasure even this far gone, the Texan was aware like the other two men, that they could not let any noise leave that room, to do so would be to risk the wrath of the town.

Chris took him tenderly and carefully, bringing him to the edge of climax only to bank him down, and hold himself still, until Vin recovered and then started again, finally he let Vin go, with a couple of harder faster thrusts, riding him to the edge and over, as he came hard inside of the Texan, at the same time as Ezra touched Vin his skilled hand bringing him off.

Exhausted Vin felt Ezra’s hands gentle him at the same time as he blindly reached back for Chris, the gunman’s voice was soft against his ear, “ain’t going anywhere cowboy and that’s a promise.” Vin signed contented as he felt Chris’s hand stroke his thigh, and then wrap round him again he closed his own hand over Chris’s.

“Ez” Vin said softly “you okay, you didn’t get to fuck me,” Vin paused then added “I’s tired but if you want I can roll over, and you can get to it and….”

Ezra reached out and laid a finger across Vin’s mouth stopping him, for a split second there was sadness in Ezra’s eye, but he hid it well, “No Mr. Tanner, if you think that I got nothing from this then you are wrong,” Ezra said, his fingers moved stroking Vin’s face affectionately, “seeing your face when you came was enough, you where beautiful.”

“Ain’t no woman.”

“I think that is a done deal Mr. Tanner, but even so, it will be a treasure memory.” Ezra touched himself and then raised his hand so that Vin could see the cum on his fingers, “this is how much you mean to me, I came from just watching you.” Reaching down he pulled the blankets up over them, and slid down into Vin’s arms, kissing him lightly on the lips more to reassure than to arouse, and followed Chris into sleep.

0-0-0-0-0

Early evening

Chris woke to the rocking of the bed, turning over, he saw Ezra was now naked, Vin was straddling him, the Texan was riding Ezra his body moving with a sensual grace, the only noise was the  soft slap of skin against skin, the gasping breath, Vin’s head thrown back his body arching  at Ezra thrust up inside of him as he  came, Vin followed coming weakly for the last time before sinking down on top of Ezra, only to be held close, to the gambler, as Ezra stroked and caressed the sweat soaked body.

Vin turned his face to look at him, but before Vin could react Chris leaned in to kiss him, and draw him into a hug, at the same time reaching out to bring Ezra in as well, raising himself up enough to kiss the gambler.

It was then Chris got out of bed, and returned with a paper sack, propping himself up in bed, with Vin and Ezra one on each side of him, he took out the blue bandana, “brought this for you Vin.” Chris handed it to the   Texan; Vin took it his fingers smoothing the fabric, as he admires it. “It’s real pretty, you sure.” The question made Chris smile but at the same time it made him sad that Vin didn’t think he was worth a present.

“I am sure.”

Vin smiled was more than Chris could have expected, “look Ez, ain’t it pretty.”

“It certainly is Mr. Tanner.” Ezra smiled at Vin and then at Chris, knowing how much the bandana would mean to the Texan, Vin had very few things, and treasured each and every one of them.

“You get Ez something?” Vin asked.

“Mr. Tanner,” Ezra started to protest,

“Course I did.” Chris drawled, but there was a barely suppressed laughter in his voice at the look on Ezra face, it was clear that Ezra was surprised that he had got him a present.

Chris pulled out the book from the bag, “Copy of Hoyle, Mr. Larabee.” Ezra drawled, “I am quite aware of the rules of poker,” he huffed, trying to look indignant which was difficult to do after mind blowing sex.

“I thought you might need it,” it wasn’t what Chris said it was what was remained unsaid. Ezra’s mouth opened and closed, and dropping the book on the bed he pounced, and ravished the blond gunman, as Vin joined in, that was how Chris found himself pinned to the bed his hands tied loosely by the blue bandana to the metal bars of the bed frame.

“Vin.” Chris warned.

“Ma always said you should say thank you for a present. Guess I’s got to say thanks.” He pressed a kiss to Chris’s chest and then his flat belly and then, Chris head thudded back against the pillow as he was swallowed by Vin’ the Texan’s mouth driving him to distraction. 

“Ezra” Chris panted the word.

The gambler sat on the end of the bed, like a gentlemen in a smoking room reading the Hoyle, the only different was he was naked, “Sorry Mr. Larabee, I have some reading to catch up with, and play back is a bitch.” Ezra smiled flashing his gold tooth as the stoic gunman was driven to distraction by his young lover, before laying the book down and joining in.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Mrs. Potter was brushing the porch of the store, when she saw Vin Tanner come out of the hotel with the man Chris Larabee, and a gambler by the look of him. The three men were talking and she was about to look away when she noticed the blue bandana round  Vin’s throat, and she did a double take, then her eyes moved onto the gambler and she breathed two words “the Hoyle.”  Now why would Mr. Larabee buy those two a present.  She smiled to herself it was a good thing she wasn’t a gossip, but she liked puzzles and if the three of them stayed in town she might solve it.

At the door to the saloon they were met by a fourth man, she recognized him from the store, she didn’t know his name but he brought a lot of fancy things, pretty lace handkerchief  and frills, that she had noticed some of the saloon girls wearing. So what was his business with them, another puzzle? Just then her husband called her name and she went back inside and back to business helping him with the old widow White, to pick some flannel for her winter night gown.

 

The end. 


End file.
